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Musashi Miyamoto #2
Sword of Honor
In the epic historical novel Sword of Honor, David Kirk continues the saga of Musashi Miyamoto, the greatest samurai in Japanese history, as he journeys to the ancient city of Kyoto to fight for his life and his ideals
Having survived the cataclysmic battle of Sekigahara, which established the mighty Tokugawa Shogunate, young Musashi Miyamoto travels through Japan determined to proclaim his revolutionary epiphany that the "way of the sword," the ancient code that binds samurai to their masters, needs to be abolished.
But during the battle Musashi insulted an adept of the powerful Yoshioka School, and a price has been put on his head. Musashi travels to Kyoto, domain of the Yoshioka, for a reckoning. He has taken up with Ameku, a beautiful blind woman branded as a witch; his burgeoning love for her will make him vulnerable.
Mushashi intends to deal a crushing blow to the traditional samurai dogma by destroying the Yoshioka warriors, but Musashi will learn that his spectacular gifts with the sword are no match for the cunning of powerful lords. The wily Tokugawa governor, still struggling to establish dominance in Kyoto, sees in Musashi just the weapon he needs to overcome the rebellious Yoshioka.
Sword of Honor seamlessly blends meticulous research, mesmerizing action sequences, and a driving narrative to bring this extraordinary figure to life.
Having survived the cataclysmic battle of Sekigahara, which established the mighty Tokugawa Shogunate, young Musashi Miyamoto travels through Japan determined to proclaim his revolutionary epiphany that the "way of the sword," the ancient code that binds samurai to their masters, needs to be abolished.
But during the battle Musashi insulted an adept of the powerful Yoshioka School, and a price has been put on his head. Musashi travels to Kyoto, domain of the Yoshioka, for a reckoning. He has taken up with Ameku, a beautiful blind woman branded as a witch; his burgeoning love for her will make him vulnerable.
Mushashi intends to deal a crushing blow to the traditional samurai dogma by destroying the Yoshioka warriors, but Musashi will learn that his spectacular gifts with the sword are no match for the cunning of powerful lords. The wily Tokugawa governor, still struggling to establish dominance in Kyoto, sees in Musashi just the weapon he needs to overcome the rebellious Yoshioka.
Sword of Honor seamlessly blends meticulous research, mesmerizing action sequences, and a driving narrative to bring this extraordinary figure to life.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published February 27, 2014
42 people are currently reading
954 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 78 reviews
January 30, 2018
Quattro stelle in generosità. Alla fine che pensare? Dopo essere partita con basse aspettative in quanto non ho mai preso bene con un libro che parla di Giappone ma non scritto da un giapponese questo è quanto. Se volete un vero libro su Musashi vi consiglio Musashi di Eiji Yoshikawa. In Italia edito da Bur. Se invece volete un assaggino ma non tutta la porzione potete leggervi pure questo (che poi è il numero due ma non ci tengo ad andare a recuperare il numero uno) ma non aspettatevi gran che.
April 19, 2022
I have not read the previous book in this series, Child of Vengeance, so my thoughts here are on this book in isolation.
Wow, I liked this a lot more than I thought I was going to. I picked up Sword of Honor for cheap at my library's bookstore, figuring the premise seemed interesting enough to try. I very quickly became caught up in the journey of Musashi Miyamoto, as well as pretty much every other character in this novel. Kirk does a great job of fleshing out each of his characters and their motivations, to the point where even the most annoying or despicable figures had sympathetic moments. Miyamoto himself is a flawed and directionless man, yet his personal values and the pain he carries make you root for him from the first page to the last. While his motives to tear down the Samurai Code are pure, the book takes every opportunity to show the almost pointless nature of his fight. No matter how many samurai he defeats, no matter how many people he tries to reason with, the world refuses to change, yet he keeps fighting anyway. He's a tragic character on every level, but the book gives him enough self-reflection for the never-ending struggle to not get stale.
The same care and detail is put into every other character. The standouts are Akiyama, Tadanari, and Ameku, each informing Miyamoto's journey while given compelling arcs of their own. Kirk's worldbuilding is also on point. In the middle of everything else going on in this book, Kirk introduces a political conflict between the Yoshioka Samurai School and the Tokugawa Shogunate and pays it off in a satisfying way without their tensions feeling tacked-on or distracting. The imagery is strong, providing a clear, tangible picture of Feudal Japan.
I don't have a lot of complaints with this one. I read it in short bursts out of necessity, which probably helped with the book's somewhat episodic structure, so I can see the book feeling directionless due to the nature of Miyamoto's arc. I didn't have an issue with this, but mileage may vary. At times I felt the description went on too long. Ameku's backstory segments, while interesting, didn't go anywhere in the wider narrative. I can also see the lack of resolution with a few of the characters not sitting well with some readers.
Sword of Honor is a fantastic character study with plenty of action, emotional character beats, and heart. Absolutely a recommend.
Wow, I liked this a lot more than I thought I was going to. I picked up Sword of Honor for cheap at my library's bookstore, figuring the premise seemed interesting enough to try. I very quickly became caught up in the journey of Musashi Miyamoto, as well as pretty much every other character in this novel. Kirk does a great job of fleshing out each of his characters and their motivations, to the point where even the most annoying or despicable figures had sympathetic moments. Miyamoto himself is a flawed and directionless man, yet his personal values and the pain he carries make you root for him from the first page to the last. While his motives to tear down the Samurai Code are pure, the book takes every opportunity to show the almost pointless nature of his fight. No matter how many samurai he defeats, no matter how many people he tries to reason with, the world refuses to change, yet he keeps fighting anyway. He's a tragic character on every level, but the book gives him enough self-reflection for the never-ending struggle to not get stale.
The same care and detail is put into every other character. The standouts are Akiyama, Tadanari, and Ameku, each informing Miyamoto's journey while given compelling arcs of their own. Kirk's worldbuilding is also on point. In the middle of everything else going on in this book, Kirk introduces a political conflict between the Yoshioka Samurai School and the Tokugawa Shogunate and pays it off in a satisfying way without their tensions feeling tacked-on or distracting. The imagery is strong, providing a clear, tangible picture of Feudal Japan.
I don't have a lot of complaints with this one. I read it in short bursts out of necessity, which probably helped with the book's somewhat episodic structure, so I can see the book feeling directionless due to the nature of Miyamoto's arc. I didn't have an issue with this, but mileage may vary. At times I felt the description went on too long. Ameku's backstory segments, while interesting, didn't go anywhere in the wider narrative. I can also see the lack of resolution with a few of the characters not sitting well with some readers.
Sword of Honor is a fantastic character study with plenty of action, emotional character beats, and heart. Absolutely a recommend.
January 30, 2017
3 stelle e mezzo
In questo suo secondo romanzo David Kirk è riuscito, di nuovo, a incantarmi e a trascinarmi in un tempo lontano. In un Giappone di un’altra epoca. Colpisce soprattutto la stile dell’autore: delicato, quasi etereo, pieno di metafore e soprattutto, musicale, così musicale da pensare di star leggendo un vero saggio giapponese.
Complimenti Kirk! La tua ricercatezza non ha eguali, il tuo amore per questa terra lontana si respirava ad ogni pagina. Mi hai stupito. Davvero.
Rispetto al volume precedente però la storia di Miyamoto è sorprendentemente lenta. Lo stile ricercato di Kirk, che io ripeto, ho apprezzato veramente tantissimo, lo spinge però a non ripiegare sull’azione (come era accaduto nel primo libro), ma a concentrarsi di più sui pensieri dei personaggi, sulla percezione dell’ex samurai, del mondo visto con i suoi nuovi occhi.
Si tutto molto affascinante, ma ad un certo punto bramavo qualcosa di più. Le premesse c’erano tutte e invece l’autore sceglie di andarci esageratamente con calma, insomma, in totale il libro ha 427 pagine e il tutto poteva essere risolto anche con 100 pagine in meno!
Leggendo questo libro non mi sono certo annoiata, ma una narrazione più serrata, per me, avrebbe fatto la differenza è non poco!
Rimane comunque un libro bellissimo, molto bello il finale che è in linea con ciò che Miyamoto è diventato. È stato un viaggio poetico e fantastico insieme… spero di poter leggere presto il terzo volume!
In questo suo secondo romanzo David Kirk è riuscito, di nuovo, a incantarmi e a trascinarmi in un tempo lontano. In un Giappone di un’altra epoca. Colpisce soprattutto la stile dell’autore: delicato, quasi etereo, pieno di metafore e soprattutto, musicale, così musicale da pensare di star leggendo un vero saggio giapponese.
Complimenti Kirk! La tua ricercatezza non ha eguali, il tuo amore per questa terra lontana si respirava ad ogni pagina. Mi hai stupito. Davvero.
Rispetto al volume precedente però la storia di Miyamoto è sorprendentemente lenta. Lo stile ricercato di Kirk, che io ripeto, ho apprezzato veramente tantissimo, lo spinge però a non ripiegare sull’azione (come era accaduto nel primo libro), ma a concentrarsi di più sui pensieri dei personaggi, sulla percezione dell’ex samurai, del mondo visto con i suoi nuovi occhi.
Si tutto molto affascinante, ma ad un certo punto bramavo qualcosa di più. Le premesse c’erano tutte e invece l’autore sceglie di andarci esageratamente con calma, insomma, in totale il libro ha 427 pagine e il tutto poteva essere risolto anche con 100 pagine in meno!
Leggendo questo libro non mi sono certo annoiata, ma una narrazione più serrata, per me, avrebbe fatto la differenza è non poco!
Rimane comunque un libro bellissimo, molto bello il finale che è in linea con ciò che Miyamoto è diventato. È stato un viaggio poetico e fantastico insieme… spero di poter leggere presto il terzo volume!
September 7, 2015
Sword of Honor by David Kirk was a first reads giveaway prize.
The historical time of the Samurai has always been a favorite of mine.About thirty-five years ago I studied a form of martial arts. I studied Eishin Ryu Iaido for a few years in Southern California.
Without being taught his history I was familiar, through my studies, with the name of Miyamoto Musashi.
Mr. Kirk uses the western form of name presentation; given name/ family name in his book. Although not an impediment to my enjoyment of this book, it never ceased to sound wrong to my ear to have the main character referred to as Musashi Miyamoto instead of the reverse as I learned of him. Kirk does explain this in the intro to Sword of Honor so it can't be counted a error.
This book is great! The glimpse into medieval Japanese society is interesting.
Without spoiling the story, Musashi is opposed to the Way, Bushido, the subservience of the Samurai to a Lord. This book is fiction, so I can't attest to any historical accuracy related to Musashi's thoughts or actions. The story is exciting and heart-wrenching at the same time. There are several characters forced to deal with self-doubt about how they fit into their world. This makes the story more believable to me, and the various characters more sympathetic.
Sword of Honor is at once a story of self-discovery, love, compassion, and cultural evolution, set in a time when personal freedom did not exist. There is plenty of action for those interested in sword fighting. The author does a good job of describing how the katana is used in combat.
The copy I was given is a bound galley, so I assume the few typos I encountered either have or will soon be corrected.
Sword of Honor will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the time period, the culture of medieval Japan, or just coming of age stories. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I think you will too. Enjoy!
Mike
The historical time of the Samurai has always been a favorite of mine.About thirty-five years ago I studied a form of martial arts. I studied Eishin Ryu Iaido for a few years in Southern California.
Without being taught his history I was familiar, through my studies, with the name of Miyamoto Musashi.
Mr. Kirk uses the western form of name presentation; given name/ family name in his book. Although not an impediment to my enjoyment of this book, it never ceased to sound wrong to my ear to have the main character referred to as Musashi Miyamoto instead of the reverse as I learned of him. Kirk does explain this in the intro to Sword of Honor so it can't be counted a error.
This book is great! The glimpse into medieval Japanese society is interesting.
Without spoiling the story, Musashi is opposed to the Way, Bushido, the subservience of the Samurai to a Lord. This book is fiction, so I can't attest to any historical accuracy related to Musashi's thoughts or actions. The story is exciting and heart-wrenching at the same time. There are several characters forced to deal with self-doubt about how they fit into their world. This makes the story more believable to me, and the various characters more sympathetic.
Sword of Honor is at once a story of self-discovery, love, compassion, and cultural evolution, set in a time when personal freedom did not exist. There is plenty of action for those interested in sword fighting. The author does a good job of describing how the katana is used in combat.
The copy I was given is a bound galley, so I assume the few typos I encountered either have or will soon be corrected.
Sword of Honor will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the time period, the culture of medieval Japan, or just coming of age stories. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I think you will too. Enjoy!
Mike
October 25, 2016
This was a disappointing read. The first book wasn't a masterpiece but it was good and worth reading. SWORD OF HONOR was a confused, meandering mess.
We find Musashi in his new Ronin status and follow him from starving pacifist to a drooling lunatic with a lust for samurai blood. Now that doesn't sound like a bad story if it was action packed and you knew nothing about Miyamoto Musashi. This book wasn't action packed and I know enough about ol' Musashi to be dissatisfied with this rendering of the legendary duelist.
Throughout the book Musashi was confused, hesitant and unlikable. There were times when I wished he'd lose a duel and stop all his self-torturing belly aching. Furthermore he could snap in an unreasonable minute and become a full on, foaming at the mouth berserker as opposed to the exacting sword master I thought I was reading about.
Besides Musashi himself there are a handful of other POV characters who add little to the story and serve mostly to confound the reader until the very end. And through the entire book I was trying to discern messages and themes but Musashi was so wishy washy as a character that by the end I didn't know if revenge was a good thing or a bad. In a very Buddhist way we are taught that nothing really matters so you might as well suck a fuck.
In closing, I did marginally enjoy this book but not enough to rate it well. If there were more samurai novels out there I'd say skip this one. But since the pickings are thin:
Barely RECOMMENDED.
We find Musashi in his new Ronin status and follow him from starving pacifist to a drooling lunatic with a lust for samurai blood. Now that doesn't sound like a bad story if it was action packed and you knew nothing about Miyamoto Musashi. This book wasn't action packed and I know enough about ol' Musashi to be dissatisfied with this rendering of the legendary duelist.
Throughout the book Musashi was confused, hesitant and unlikable. There were times when I wished he'd lose a duel and stop all his self-torturing belly aching. Furthermore he could snap in an unreasonable minute and become a full on, foaming at the mouth berserker as opposed to the exacting sword master I thought I was reading about.
Besides Musashi himself there are a handful of other POV characters who add little to the story and serve mostly to confound the reader until the very end. And through the entire book I was trying to discern messages and themes but Musashi was so wishy washy as a character that by the end I didn't know if revenge was a good thing or a bad. In a very Buddhist way we are taught that nothing really matters so you might as well suck a fuck.
In closing, I did marginally enjoy this book but not enough to rate it well. If there were more samurai novels out there I'd say skip this one. But since the pickings are thin:
Barely RECOMMENDED.
June 3, 2015
Five stars! Fascinating, entrancing,
Laszlo
Laszlo
February 21, 2021
Sword of Honor written by David Kirk is the second book in his series about the life of the legendary Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi.
⚔️ ‘Do not mindlessly follow the way and customs of the world.’ ⚔️
Beginning shortly after the last, major battle of Japan’s Warring States Period in 1600, it depicts the feud between Miyamoto Musashi and the esteemed Yoshioka Sword School in Japan’s former capital of Kyoto. We find Musashi in his new Ronin status and follow him from starving pacifist to a drooling lunatic with a lust for samurai blood. For much of the book, he rages against the rigid lifestyle of Japanese society, aiming much of his anger at The Way.
Review:
🗡Cover with blood dribbling from a Katana and a lone samurai standing on a crest immaculately portray Musashi's character and the title sword of honour indicate the rigid ways of Japanese Samurai
🗡David had brought out a completely different side of Musashi. His Musashi was more human than a legendary character in Japanese history; He's confused, unsure of himself at times and just attempting to muddle out his philosophy and ultimate goal in life.
🗡Besides Musashi himself, there are a handful of other POV characters who add little to the story and serve mostly to confound the reader until the very end. This also makes the book unnecessarily long.
🗡David had done commendable research work. His research shows in every line. He had perfectly captured the vivid picture of a living thriving metropolis of Kyoto, its proud people, their rigid society, different customs and rituals and the Way of the Samurai.
🗡If you like to read Sumari and sword fighting then, there is plenty of action-packed scenes that take you through battles as if you were alongside Miyamoto. You'll also get to know how Miyamoto conceives his double sword technique to fight back the esteem Yoshioka school.
🗡The book was just a bit dreary and was not as quick-paced and engaging as the first. The addition of other characters' POV, exploration of their background stories and the constant switching of POVs makes it plodding, pedestrian and not at all engaging. Musashi seems left out among all those characters.
🗡the climax is known and expected from the beginning, yet portrayed in a different way. David had taken quite a few liberties to mold the story in his own way. Overall the conclusion was good but it fails to deliver a cohesive theme.
🗡Outside of Japan, very few people know about the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi. So a Historical Note at the end of the book could have been informative for the readers who want to know the historical facts about him.
Nevertheless, if you are a fan of martial arts history and ancient Japanese culture, then I would highly recommend you to give this book at least one try, provided you have a huge amount of perseverance and patience to complete the book. 😅
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚔️ ‘Do not mindlessly follow the way and customs of the world.’ ⚔️
Beginning shortly after the last, major battle of Japan’s Warring States Period in 1600, it depicts the feud between Miyamoto Musashi and the esteemed Yoshioka Sword School in Japan’s former capital of Kyoto. We find Musashi in his new Ronin status and follow him from starving pacifist to a drooling lunatic with a lust for samurai blood. For much of the book, he rages against the rigid lifestyle of Japanese society, aiming much of his anger at The Way.
Review:
🗡Cover with blood dribbling from a Katana and a lone samurai standing on a crest immaculately portray Musashi's character and the title sword of honour indicate the rigid ways of Japanese Samurai
🗡David had brought out a completely different side of Musashi. His Musashi was more human than a legendary character in Japanese history; He's confused, unsure of himself at times and just attempting to muddle out his philosophy and ultimate goal in life.
🗡Besides Musashi himself, there are a handful of other POV characters who add little to the story and serve mostly to confound the reader until the very end. This also makes the book unnecessarily long.
🗡David had done commendable research work. His research shows in every line. He had perfectly captured the vivid picture of a living thriving metropolis of Kyoto, its proud people, their rigid society, different customs and rituals and the Way of the Samurai.
🗡If you like to read Sumari and sword fighting then, there is plenty of action-packed scenes that take you through battles as if you were alongside Miyamoto. You'll also get to know how Miyamoto conceives his double sword technique to fight back the esteem Yoshioka school.
🗡The book was just a bit dreary and was not as quick-paced and engaging as the first. The addition of other characters' POV, exploration of their background stories and the constant switching of POVs makes it plodding, pedestrian and not at all engaging. Musashi seems left out among all those characters.
🗡the climax is known and expected from the beginning, yet portrayed in a different way. David had taken quite a few liberties to mold the story in his own way. Overall the conclusion was good but it fails to deliver a cohesive theme.
🗡Outside of Japan, very few people know about the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi. So a Historical Note at the end of the book could have been informative for the readers who want to know the historical facts about him.
Nevertheless, if you are a fan of martial arts history and ancient Japanese culture, then I would highly recommend you to give this book at least one try, provided you have a huge amount of perseverance and patience to complete the book. 😅
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 26, 2017
Not as enjoyable as the first book. There were, of course, the requisite skull-splitting samurai sword scenes but our main man Musashi Myamoto was in a bit of a maudlin mood throughout this one. As he continued to fight and argue against "the way" of the Samurai, Myamoto ends up taking on the Yoshioka - the esteemed school of the shoguns. The family history between Myamoto and the Yoshioka continues from the first book and results ultimately in the downfall of the Yoshioka at the end of this one. This second book was just a bit dreary and was not as quick-paced and engaging as the first.
I will say this however - Musashi Myamoto has a name that is more fun to say than "Barack Obama" - full of short consonantal (yes, it is a word)syllables, I challenge you to say his name out loud without progressively picking up the tempo and volume and sounding like a scary samurai yourself.
I will say this however - Musashi Myamoto has a name that is more fun to say than "Barack Obama" - full of short consonantal (yes, it is a word)syllables, I challenge you to say his name out loud without progressively picking up the tempo and volume and sounding like a scary samurai yourself.
April 15, 2024
3.5
The second book in the fictional early life of Miyamoto Mushashi sees him wondering Japan after surviving the battle of Sekigahara and questioning the code of the samurai.
This novel leans more heavily into the politics of Japan than the previous installment, but that order offers a nice, intentional contrast to the chaotic nature of Miyamoto and his rebellious ways.
My only complaint is that, while Kirk’s writing is very elegant, it felt very bloated in certain areas
The second book in the fictional early life of Miyamoto Mushashi sees him wondering Japan after surviving the battle of Sekigahara and questioning the code of the samurai.
This novel leans more heavily into the politics of Japan than the previous installment, but that order offers a nice, intentional contrast to the chaotic nature of Miyamoto and his rebellious ways.
My only complaint is that, while Kirk’s writing is very elegant, it felt very bloated in certain areas
February 14, 2021
I have never read historical fiction that is this good. When you read battle scenes, it feels like the fighting is happening in front of your eyes. I loved every part of it!
August 28, 2018
Mi spiace doverlo dire ma ho faticato a finirlo.
Le premesse sono ottime, la storia è nota e ben romanzata, ma lo stile con cui è scritto mi ha reso pesante la lettura.
Ovviamente è un'opinione personale dettata dai miei gusti, che non ha nulla a che vedere con la bravura dello scrittore.
Solamente troppi descrittivi, troppe divagazioni, che spesso mi facevano venir voglia di voltare la pagina saltandola completamente.
Consiglio questo romanzo a chi ama una lettura dettagliata e ricca di dettagli.
Le premesse sono ottime, la storia è nota e ben romanzata, ma lo stile con cui è scritto mi ha reso pesante la lettura.
Ovviamente è un'opinione personale dettata dai miei gusti, che non ha nulla a che vedere con la bravura dello scrittore.
Solamente troppi descrittivi, troppe divagazioni, che spesso mi facevano venir voglia di voltare la pagina saltandola completamente.
Consiglio questo romanzo a chi ama una lettura dettagliata e ricca di dettagli.
October 27, 2015
David Kirk’s Sword of Honor is the second book in his series about the life the legendary Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi. Beginning shortly after the last, major battle of Japan’s Warring States Period in 1600, it depicts the feud between Miyamoto Musashi and the esteemed Yoshioka Sword School in Japan’s former capital of Kyoto.
The Musashi presented here is fairly different from the one I’ve seen in other media. He’s confused, unsure of himself at times and just attempting to muddle out his philosophy and ultimate goal in life. For much of the book he rages against the rigid lifestyle of Japanese society, aiming much of his anger at The Way. The Way within the book is basically the code by which everyone lives. It dictates how to interact with others, organizes a social hierarchy and even lays down the procedures for ritual suicide. The way he rails against it throughout the book makes him feel a bit more like a traditional Western protagonist who seeks to undo the status quo. Something that will hopefully connect with American readers.
One of the most noticeable things about the book is Kirk’s use of language and to give the text a detached and stand offish feel. Some folks might not like the coldness this produces, but I liked it. The emotional detachment is a perfect match for the Kirk’s version of Musashi’s Japan. It’s cold, staid and full of repression and rigid ritual and behavior.
Conversely, Kirk manages to bring Kyoto to life despite the aforementioned standoffishness, describing it’s bustling, crowded streets with such detail that it crafts a vivid picture of a living thriving metropolis. The amount of time spent on the city might seem a little odd at first, but over time it’s becomes obvious that Kyoto is as much as character in the novel as anyone else.
Perhaps the most interesting character isn’t Musashi but the Yoshioka samurai Akiyama. Initially sent out to hunt down Musashi for some perceived slight from years past, Akiyama starts out almost as a reflection of Musashi. Dedicated to The Way and the sword school he serves, Akiyama is haunted by the fact that his apparent mixed heritage will forever keep him from being fully accepted no matter his accomplishments. Kirk spends quite a bit of time developing Akiyama’s internal struggle and he was quite possibly my favorite character in the entire book by it’s end.
Sword of Honor was a pretty engaging read, though it did take a little time for me to warm to the style of David Kirk’s prose. Once I got past that it turned out to be a pretty enjoyable read that picked up more and more steam until its bloody, apocalyptic climax.
Note: Galley copy provided by the publisher
The Musashi presented here is fairly different from the one I’ve seen in other media. He’s confused, unsure of himself at times and just attempting to muddle out his philosophy and ultimate goal in life. For much of the book he rages against the rigid lifestyle of Japanese society, aiming much of his anger at The Way. The Way within the book is basically the code by which everyone lives. It dictates how to interact with others, organizes a social hierarchy and even lays down the procedures for ritual suicide. The way he rails against it throughout the book makes him feel a bit more like a traditional Western protagonist who seeks to undo the status quo. Something that will hopefully connect with American readers.
One of the most noticeable things about the book is Kirk’s use of language and to give the text a detached and stand offish feel. Some folks might not like the coldness this produces, but I liked it. The emotional detachment is a perfect match for the Kirk’s version of Musashi’s Japan. It’s cold, staid and full of repression and rigid ritual and behavior.
Conversely, Kirk manages to bring Kyoto to life despite the aforementioned standoffishness, describing it’s bustling, crowded streets with such detail that it crafts a vivid picture of a living thriving metropolis. The amount of time spent on the city might seem a little odd at first, but over time it’s becomes obvious that Kyoto is as much as character in the novel as anyone else.
Perhaps the most interesting character isn’t Musashi but the Yoshioka samurai Akiyama. Initially sent out to hunt down Musashi for some perceived slight from years past, Akiyama starts out almost as a reflection of Musashi. Dedicated to The Way and the sword school he serves, Akiyama is haunted by the fact that his apparent mixed heritage will forever keep him from being fully accepted no matter his accomplishments. Kirk spends quite a bit of time developing Akiyama’s internal struggle and he was quite possibly my favorite character in the entire book by it’s end.
Sword of Honor was a pretty engaging read, though it did take a little time for me to warm to the style of David Kirk’s prose. Once I got past that it turned out to be a pretty enjoyable read that picked up more and more steam until its bloody, apocalyptic climax.
Note: Galley copy provided by the publisher
April 8, 2016
Enrapt with the first in the series from cover-2-cover unfortunately not so with this tale.....
Miyamoto’s tale is wonderfully written & the character full & lively whereas the tales of the
Yoshioka samurai school are fairly leaden as maybe expected, its a tale of duty, honour & zero feeling with very staid dialogue, in that respect maybe its a spot-on portrayal but not something I could really feel empathy with nor enjoy so wholeheartedly. The same went for the tale revolving around the Tokugawa although not entirely so as they did meet in the middle a little & appeared at least human.
The three tales intertwine, break & come together throughout the story.
Extra/new characters are employed to bring out Miyamoto’s character on his journey & they work very well.....
Now this is where it doesn’t really work for me as it’s a bit of a mess of a book although that sounds harsh, parts of it flowed & it were brilliant whilst in other parts the spine was in my hand ready to transport itself across yonder room..... overtly long maybe? its failing, scenes added which we could have done without especially in regards to the Yoshioka school although in part they added a context to the story behind Miyamoto. I loved Miyamoto & his comrades tale & give that a full 5 stars which is about 70% of the story but overall that gives us only 3.5 & unfortunately as it’s not a debut plus the book was poised to fly a few times, its a 3 star rating
Will still continue with the series as its epic for the most part & hopefully we’ll get back to the full splendour of the first book.
Miyamoto’s tale is wonderfully written & the character full & lively whereas the tales of the
Yoshioka samurai school are fairly leaden as maybe expected, its a tale of duty, honour & zero feeling with very staid dialogue, in that respect maybe its a spot-on portrayal but not something I could really feel empathy with nor enjoy so wholeheartedly. The same went for the tale revolving around the Tokugawa although not entirely so as they did meet in the middle a little & appeared at least human.
The three tales intertwine, break & come together throughout the story.
Extra/new characters are employed to bring out Miyamoto’s character on his journey & they work very well.....
Now this is where it doesn’t really work for me as it’s a bit of a mess of a book although that sounds harsh, parts of it flowed & it were brilliant whilst in other parts the spine was in my hand ready to transport itself across yonder room..... overtly long maybe? its failing, scenes added which we could have done without especially in regards to the Yoshioka school although in part they added a context to the story behind Miyamoto. I loved Miyamoto & his comrades tale & give that a full 5 stars which is about 70% of the story but overall that gives us only 3.5 & unfortunately as it’s not a debut plus the book was poised to fly a few times, its a 3 star rating
Will still continue with the series as its epic for the most part & hopefully we’ll get back to the full splendour of the first book.
October 3, 2015
The Way. In Japanese history, this was "the way of the sword", and it was a code of honor for all samurai to live by. A code that included seppuku, the ritual killing of oneself when one has displeased someone of higher rank or dishonored The Way. Musashi Miyamoto is fighting The Way, and eventually becomes the greatest samurai in Japanese history. However, in 'Sword of Honor', Miyamoto is far from becoming the legend he will be. Here, we finding him with a price on his head, having insulted a member of the prestigious Yoshioka school. As he is trying to survive, he is simultaneously crafting what ends up being his legacy and taking on the Yoshioka samurai for what he feels are their failures.
Having read the first book in this series, and having enjoyed it, I was looking forward to reading this one. Unfortunately, this one spends a lot of time standing still in various spots. That's not to say that the story itself isn't interesting, just that it seemed to drag on more than necessary. There were times - several of them - when I really wasn't sure I wanted to pick up the book to continue reading.
After finally finishing it, I can say that I would be interested in reading the next one when it comes out, though I'm not sure I would choose to search for it. I do find Miyamoto a fascinating character, particularly given the struggles he faced and the culture of rigidity he was trying to change. Overall, this was worth reading, and would be a good gift for fans of Japanese history.
Having read the first book in this series, and having enjoyed it, I was looking forward to reading this one. Unfortunately, this one spends a lot of time standing still in various spots. That's not to say that the story itself isn't interesting, just that it seemed to drag on more than necessary. There were times - several of them - when I really wasn't sure I wanted to pick up the book to continue reading.
After finally finishing it, I can say that I would be interested in reading the next one when it comes out, though I'm not sure I would choose to search for it. I do find Miyamoto a fascinating character, particularly given the struggles he faced and the culture of rigidity he was trying to change. Overall, this was worth reading, and would be a good gift for fans of Japanese history.
November 27, 2016
This book is a mixed bag. Some chapters are brilliantly written and action scenes take you through battles as if you were alongside Miyamoto. But at other times, the story plods and seems painfully long-- unnecessarily so. I think Andy's review captured this well when he was tempted to fling the book across the room.
Nevertheless, if you are a fan of martial arts history and ancient Japanese culture, this has some redeeming qualities, and if you've the patience and perseverance, then you will find some reward in the high points and forgive the book's shortcomings.
Nevertheless, if you are a fan of martial arts history and ancient Japanese culture, this has some redeeming qualities, and if you've the patience and perseverance, then you will find some reward in the high points and forgive the book's shortcomings.
August 28, 2015
In this sequel to Child of Vengeance, we continue the story of Musashi Miyamoto's, a samurai in feudal Japan. As our hero battles against incredible odds, I found myself captivated from start to finish, needing to know where his story would go and what he would do next. David Kirk is an elegant writer and his novel Sword of Honor is an incredible ride. This is perfect for fans of historical fiction and adventure stories.
February 23, 2016
Four and a half stars rounded up to five. Great adventure story and great sword fights. In additions, there are plenty Eastern philosophical views and cultural backgrounds to ponder about.
Thumbs down for interludes, it feels like page fillers.
Thumbs down for interludes, it feels like page fillers.
March 16, 2016
I won this book from a first reads giveaway.
This book is not what I would have read if I would not have won it. With that being said
I found this story fascinating. I Really loved the story,the Japanese culture, the history.
Great read.
This book is not what I would have read if I would not have won it. With that being said
I found this story fascinating. I Really loved the story,the Japanese culture, the history.
Great read.
March 29, 2017
I was disappointed with this book. First one was brilliant. This one had flashes of brilliance...only flashes. The rest just meandered along not really going anywhere.
December 8, 2023
Sword of Honour is David Kirk’s second novel following the life of Miyamoto Musashi, a famous swordsman at the beginning of the Edo era of Japanese history. The book takes us from the end of the battle of Sekigahara - which was the final battle to reunify the country after more than a century of more or less continuous warfare. The background is turbulent but the winning Tokugawa (shortly to become the Shogunate) are doing their best to bring stability and order - this is a significant subplot of the book. The main plot however is about a feud between Musashi and the Yoshioka sword school based in Kyoto. Musashi is pursued for a slight on the honour of the school he committed, or is believed to have committed at Sekigahara. But Musashi’s ideas also clash with the conservative sword school leading inevitably to a series of clashes in Kyoto.
Unfortunately I did not like this one nearly as much as the first. Musashi was much more questioning of himself in the first book, he has developed into someone who is very rigid ideologically which I found grating, to the point that I preferred the bad guy to win their duel. I could have done with more air time for the secondary characters, all of Musashi’s travelling companions are more likeable and have interesting backgrounds.
But the biggest problem for me was that the plot did not hang together very well. Neither side has much grounding for their feud. It seemed to descend into a pointless effusion of blood where Musashi again and again overcame opponents having gotten into fights which could easily have been avoided. Musashi in particular could have avoided the whole second half of the book by simply not going to Kyoto to confront the sword school, for which there seems no need except for some sense of honour… which is a significant element of what he is meant to be railing against.
That said it was a bloody age. And one in which feuds were often pointless and resulted in wasteful death. But that does not mean it makes a compelling plot.
Despite the popularity of the samurai there are not too many historical novels about the age so if you are a fan of pre-modern Japan then you will likely want to read this, even if not nearly as good as the first.
Unfortunately I did not like this one nearly as much as the first. Musashi was much more questioning of himself in the first book, he has developed into someone who is very rigid ideologically which I found grating, to the point that I preferred the bad guy to win their duel. I could have done with more air time for the secondary characters, all of Musashi’s travelling companions are more likeable and have interesting backgrounds.
But the biggest problem for me was that the plot did not hang together very well. Neither side has much grounding for their feud. It seemed to descend into a pointless effusion of blood where Musashi again and again overcame opponents having gotten into fights which could easily have been avoided. Musashi in particular could have avoided the whole second half of the book by simply not going to Kyoto to confront the sword school, for which there seems no need except for some sense of honour… which is a significant element of what he is meant to be railing against.
That said it was a bloody age. And one in which feuds were often pointless and resulted in wasteful death. But that does not mean it makes a compelling plot.
Despite the popularity of the samurai there are not too many historical novels about the age so if you are a fan of pre-modern Japan then you will likely want to read this, even if not nearly as good as the first.
January 8, 2025
This is the second book in the Musashi series, a fictionalized account of the life of Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) the famed samurai and author of the "Book of the Five Rings," a treatise on Zen Buddhism and swordsmanship. "Sword of Honor" picks up essentially where the first installment of the series, "Child of Vengeance" left off, at the conclusion of the Battle of Sekigahara (1600) with Musashi and other members of the defeated army being hunted down, with the legendary samurai school known as the Yoshioka taking a particular interest in Musashi for a perceived slight during the Battle of Sekigahara. The story of Musashi and the Yoshioka plays out against the backdrop of social upheaval, as the grand city of Kyoto struggles to accept the yoke of a new centralized authority in the form of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Musashi also begins the beginning stages of fleshing out his personal philosophy in this book, reaching a sort of maturity that he lacked in "Child of Vengeance." I am personally looking forward to the third installment of the series, it can't come quickly enough.
September 20, 2018
I loved this book. Far better than the first - which i gave 4 stars.
Looking back over the 2 books it felt to me like David gained in confidence writing tales about Musashi and also that he has come to know him better - like he's beginning to get inside his head more.
But then i suppose the first book was more about Musashi the youth, just beginning to find himself, and this book is more of Musashi as a young man puzzling over what he's found and finding more - and this reflects well in the writing of both books.
Once again, David's writing is superbly descriptive without overdoing it. The story just keeps on moving and i just didn't want to put it down - like the first book, no pregnant pauses await within, it's just full gas all the way.
I do hope #3 won't be too long, i'm hooked!
Looking back over the 2 books it felt to me like David gained in confidence writing tales about Musashi and also that he has come to know him better - like he's beginning to get inside his head more.
But then i suppose the first book was more about Musashi the youth, just beginning to find himself, and this book is more of Musashi as a young man puzzling over what he's found and finding more - and this reflects well in the writing of both books.
Once again, David's writing is superbly descriptive without overdoing it. The story just keeps on moving and i just didn't want to put it down - like the first book, no pregnant pauses await within, it's just full gas all the way.
I do hope #3 won't be too long, i'm hooked!
March 30, 2021
Basically, read the description and, if you think you will enjoy this book, give it a try. The MC is very young and yet already one of the greatest swordsmen of Japan. The MC has seen much tragedy already in his young life and that combination of tragedy and youth leads Mushashi to seek to change his entire culture in spite of strong feelings of hopelessness.
During the course of this book Mushashi begins as a vagrant but is confronted by the fact that he is being hunted by a martial school for a slight Mushashi doesn't even remember and certainly didn't intend. Nevertheless, Mushashi feels compelled to bring the fight to his pursuers and so travels to Kyoto, then capital of Japan. The challenges Mushashi finds their causes him to further develop his sword fighting style.
Bottom line: While I can see how this type of story wouldn't be for everyone, I greatly enjoyed it.
During the course of this book Mushashi begins as a vagrant but is confronted by the fact that he is being hunted by a martial school for a slight Mushashi doesn't even remember and certainly didn't intend. Nevertheless, Mushashi feels compelled to bring the fight to his pursuers and so travels to Kyoto, then capital of Japan. The challenges Mushashi finds their causes him to further develop his sword fighting style.
Bottom line: While I can see how this type of story wouldn't be for everyone, I greatly enjoyed it.
June 17, 2018
Back in 2013 (or thereabouts) I picked up a book in my local Tesco's; a book of which (at the time) I knew nothing about but which IO ended up quite enjoying. That books (Child of Vengeance) was the immediate precursor to this, and turned out to be one that I quite enjoyed.
Fast forward roughly 5 years, and I picked up the sequel, hoping to receive the same enjoyment from it.
Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed: I found this (which is, effectively, a Japanese revenge tale) to be plodding, pedestrian, heavy going and really just not that engaging, populated with unlikeable characters with murky motivations and with a verbose style of writing that just did not flow, even in the action sequences. As such, I actually found this a struggle to make it to the end!
Sorry Mr Kirk!
Fast forward roughly 5 years, and I picked up the sequel, hoping to receive the same enjoyment from it.
Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed: I found this (which is, effectively, a Japanese revenge tale) to be plodding, pedestrian, heavy going and really just not that engaging, populated with unlikeable characters with murky motivations and with a verbose style of writing that just did not flow, even in the action sequences. As such, I actually found this a struggle to make it to the end!
Sorry Mr Kirk!
May 25, 2020
[ITA] Avvincente romanzo storico che racconta la vita di un ex samurai che nella morte dei suoi vari compagni ha trovato la sua libertà di essere e di esistere. Descrizioni molto belle ed accurate, battaglie e scontri cruenti che però hanno sempre ripercussioni psicologiche sul protagonista. Il samurai che distrusse i Samurai.
[ENG] Exciting historical novel that recounts the life of an ex samurai who, in the death of his various companions and friends, has found his freedom to be and to exist. Very beautiful and accurate descriptions, battles and bloody clashes that in the end always have psychological repercussions on the protagonist. The samurai who destroyed Samurais.
[ENG] Exciting historical novel that recounts the life of an ex samurai who, in the death of his various companions and friends, has found his freedom to be and to exist. Very beautiful and accurate descriptions, battles and bloody clashes that in the end always have psychological repercussions on the protagonist. The samurai who destroyed Samurais.
September 27, 2023
I read a decade after it’s prequel.
This sees leaderless samurai, legendary Musashi, stalked by an assassin from the Yoshioko warrior school and subsequently attempting revenge and the abrogation of the traditional Way as he proceeds to a showdown in Kyoto along with a few companions including a blind woman from the Ryukyu islands.
His success with his new technique against multiple samurai is more mythical than realistic but there is much of interest about Japanese life, customs and society in a fully engaging read.
This sees leaderless samurai, legendary Musashi, stalked by an assassin from the Yoshioko warrior school and subsequently attempting revenge and the abrogation of the traditional Way as he proceeds to a showdown in Kyoto along with a few companions including a blind woman from the Ryukyu islands.
His success with his new technique against multiple samurai is more mythical than realistic but there is much of interest about Japanese life, customs and society in a fully engaging read.
August 20, 2018
The omissions of to-be verbs in almost every instance was extremely grating. The central ideological conflict was not believable and did not seem to progress or resolve. The main character is insuferable, overpowered, and unrelatable. For a story that borrows so heavily from the same source material, it can't help but be compared unfavorably to Eiji Yoshikawa's "Musashi."
June 21, 2020
I picked this up for $1 at a Dollar Tree. I love historical fiction, though Tokugawa Japan is not an area or time with which I am particularly familiar. Nevertheless, this was a well-written and enjoyable story, told in such a way that I could follow it without any particular familiarity with the setting. So that was nice.
February 4, 2023
Good read. Plenty of exploration in to Musashi's character and stance against accepted practice. Action scenes were well written, and gripping. Having read The book of five rings (Miyamoto's Japanese answer to Sun Tzu's Art of war) I really enjoy this series surrounding his life. Roll on the next one.
May 24, 2016
In het eerste deel van de Musashi serie ging het verhaal vooral om het jongetje Bennosuke Shinnen. Een jonge zoon van een beroemde samoerai die zich na een voorval noodgedwongen zag huis en haard te verlaten om op de vlucht te slaan. Gevormd door zijn reis, de gemaakte fouten, het gebrek aan opleiding en zijn volledige eenzaamheid heeft hij op jonge leeftijd toch besloten om voor de eer van zijn familie te gaan, voornamelijk die van zijn vader. Op het moment dat Bennosuke zestien jaar is meent hij dat het tijd is om nu écht samoerai te worden en daarmee in de voetsporen van zijn vader te treden. Vanaf dat moment bestaat Bennosuke Shinnen niet meer en komt Musashi Miyamoto tot leven, een samoeraistrijder. De naamsverandering hoort bij zijn keuze.
Het leven van een samoerai is hard en meedogenloos. Musashi ondervindt dat van jongs af aan al aan den lijve. Eerst door middel van zijn vader en later zelf wanneer er door een vijandige clanhoofd een prijs op zijn hoofd wordt gezet omdat hij iemand beledigd zou hebben. Wederom wordt hij voor zware keuzes gesteld. Musashi heeft een onvergeeflijke fout gemaakt en dat moet worden bekocht met de dood, die van hem. En zo moet deze jonge strijder wederom een situatie onder ogen komen waar hij nog niet volledig op is voorbereid. Maar het toeval wil dat alles anders loopt dan gedacht en er daardoor ineens sprake is van een gewetensconflict bij de directe vijand van Musashi. In plaats van elkaar naar het leven te staan redt Musashi het leven van zijn kwelgeest. Hierdoor veranderen de verstandhoudingen maar beide mannen blijven eerst en vooral samoerai. Gezamenlijk gaan ze op reis en ontdekken zo de duivelse strategische plannen van de shogun van Kyoto en wat zijn plannen zijn met deze stad. Dit alles voorspelt niet veel goeds. Een ware veldslag volgt, op meerdere fronten, en nu komt het aan op de zwaardkunsten van Musashi wanneer de boel escaleert. Wraak en eer kruisen elkaar zoals de klingen van zijn zwaarden. Musashi heeft een techniek die uniek maar gevreesd is en die hem nu wel heel goed uitkomt.
‘De wraak van Katana’ is het vervolg op ‘De erecode van de samoerai’ en het tweede deel van de Musashi trilogie. In dit deel is het jongetje opgegroeid tot een tiener en is gehard door het leven. Vooral door het vluchten, het continu in gevaar zijn en de confrontaties tussen de eerzuchtige clans. In dit deel is de jongen een jongeman geworden die weet wat van hem wordt verwacht en wat zijn taken zijn om de eer hoog te houden. Want dat is ook in dit deel een wezenlijk aandeel. Gelukkig is er ook meer dan genoeg ruimte om je te verdiepen in de personages en niet alleen in Musashi, alhoewel hij wel het hoofdpersonage is gebleven. Deze zwaardvechter bleek niet alleen een ware kunstenaar met zijn zwaarden maar ook een landsheer in de dop, een tactisch onderhandelaar. Zijn gevoelige kanten worden belicht en zo is het dat deze samoerai ineens zowaar menselijke trekjes blijkt te hebben en dat aspect, waar gebeurd of niet, geeft het verhaal bijna een inslag tot een roman in plaats van een thriller. Gelukkig zijn er ook spannende momenten maar die uiten zich niet in de standaard thrillerspanning. Nee, het zijn echt de beeldend omschreven scenes waarin letterlijk de koppen rollen en het bloed over de slagvelden spuit. David Kirk weet dit heel filmisch te omschrijven en raar genoeg leest dat toch bijzonder aangenaam ondanks het bloedvergieten. Het hoort gewoon bij de verhaallijn, bij de samoerai en hun opmerkelijke traditionele gewoontes. Want lang niet alles was zoals het leek te zijn. Alles had een betekenis en ondanks de drang naar optimale eer(wraak) was men ook zeer geniepig en opportunistisch.
De auteur heeft zich wederom meer dan meesterlijk laten gelden met zijn kennis over de Japanse (vecht)cultuur en zijn interesse in de persoon Musashi Miyamoto, die geen fictief figuur is. Musashi heeft geleefd tussen 1584 en 1645. Zijn volledige naam (volgens Japanse traditie staat de achternaam vooraan) is Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin 宮本 武蔵 en dat geeft behalve zijn naam ook zijn adellijke afkomst en geboortegrond aan. Hij was een legende en staat nu nog bekend als 'Kensei' (wat Zwaardheilige betekent) omdat hij met twee zwaarden tegelijk kon vechten.
Deze wetenschap maakt het verhaal des te authentieker en indrukwekkend. Vooral omdat deze op zich staande samoeraicultuur een van de meest eerzame en meedogenloze is in de Aziatische wereld en wereldberoemd. Om samoerai te zijn was een eer, een voorrecht, maar zeker geen gemakkelijke. En om als samoerai te sterven tijdens een veldslag, uiteraard nadat er eerst vele overwinningen waren, was een ode aan deze vechtkunst en levenswijze.
Dit boek van David Kirk is zeker zo goed uitgewerkt als het eerste maar net wat minder indrukwekkend. Of dat nu komt doordat ‘De erecode van de samoerai’ zo verpletterend was en dit deel daardoor minder vernieuwend, dat is moeilijk aan te geven. Het ligt zeker niet aan de personages of de verhaallijn want het is wederom een verhaal dat meer dan interessant is en bijzonder prettig leest. David Kirk weet absoluut een verhaal te vertellen en het is dan ook wachten op het afsluitende deel van deze trilogie. Wellicht dat daar nog wat puzzelstukjes op de plaats vallen.
4 sterren
Het leven van een samoerai is hard en meedogenloos. Musashi ondervindt dat van jongs af aan al aan den lijve. Eerst door middel van zijn vader en later zelf wanneer er door een vijandige clanhoofd een prijs op zijn hoofd wordt gezet omdat hij iemand beledigd zou hebben. Wederom wordt hij voor zware keuzes gesteld. Musashi heeft een onvergeeflijke fout gemaakt en dat moet worden bekocht met de dood, die van hem. En zo moet deze jonge strijder wederom een situatie onder ogen komen waar hij nog niet volledig op is voorbereid. Maar het toeval wil dat alles anders loopt dan gedacht en er daardoor ineens sprake is van een gewetensconflict bij de directe vijand van Musashi. In plaats van elkaar naar het leven te staan redt Musashi het leven van zijn kwelgeest. Hierdoor veranderen de verstandhoudingen maar beide mannen blijven eerst en vooral samoerai. Gezamenlijk gaan ze op reis en ontdekken zo de duivelse strategische plannen van de shogun van Kyoto en wat zijn plannen zijn met deze stad. Dit alles voorspelt niet veel goeds. Een ware veldslag volgt, op meerdere fronten, en nu komt het aan op de zwaardkunsten van Musashi wanneer de boel escaleert. Wraak en eer kruisen elkaar zoals de klingen van zijn zwaarden. Musashi heeft een techniek die uniek maar gevreesd is en die hem nu wel heel goed uitkomt.
‘De wraak van Katana’ is het vervolg op ‘De erecode van de samoerai’ en het tweede deel van de Musashi trilogie. In dit deel is het jongetje opgegroeid tot een tiener en is gehard door het leven. Vooral door het vluchten, het continu in gevaar zijn en de confrontaties tussen de eerzuchtige clans. In dit deel is de jongen een jongeman geworden die weet wat van hem wordt verwacht en wat zijn taken zijn om de eer hoog te houden. Want dat is ook in dit deel een wezenlijk aandeel. Gelukkig is er ook meer dan genoeg ruimte om je te verdiepen in de personages en niet alleen in Musashi, alhoewel hij wel het hoofdpersonage is gebleven. Deze zwaardvechter bleek niet alleen een ware kunstenaar met zijn zwaarden maar ook een landsheer in de dop, een tactisch onderhandelaar. Zijn gevoelige kanten worden belicht en zo is het dat deze samoerai ineens zowaar menselijke trekjes blijkt te hebben en dat aspect, waar gebeurd of niet, geeft het verhaal bijna een inslag tot een roman in plaats van een thriller. Gelukkig zijn er ook spannende momenten maar die uiten zich niet in de standaard thrillerspanning. Nee, het zijn echt de beeldend omschreven scenes waarin letterlijk de koppen rollen en het bloed over de slagvelden spuit. David Kirk weet dit heel filmisch te omschrijven en raar genoeg leest dat toch bijzonder aangenaam ondanks het bloedvergieten. Het hoort gewoon bij de verhaallijn, bij de samoerai en hun opmerkelijke traditionele gewoontes. Want lang niet alles was zoals het leek te zijn. Alles had een betekenis en ondanks de drang naar optimale eer(wraak) was men ook zeer geniepig en opportunistisch.
De auteur heeft zich wederom meer dan meesterlijk laten gelden met zijn kennis over de Japanse (vecht)cultuur en zijn interesse in de persoon Musashi Miyamoto, die geen fictief figuur is. Musashi heeft geleefd tussen 1584 en 1645. Zijn volledige naam (volgens Japanse traditie staat de achternaam vooraan) is Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin 宮本 武蔵 en dat geeft behalve zijn naam ook zijn adellijke afkomst en geboortegrond aan. Hij was een legende en staat nu nog bekend als 'Kensei' (wat Zwaardheilige betekent) omdat hij met twee zwaarden tegelijk kon vechten.
Deze wetenschap maakt het verhaal des te authentieker en indrukwekkend. Vooral omdat deze op zich staande samoeraicultuur een van de meest eerzame en meedogenloze is in de Aziatische wereld en wereldberoemd. Om samoerai te zijn was een eer, een voorrecht, maar zeker geen gemakkelijke. En om als samoerai te sterven tijdens een veldslag, uiteraard nadat er eerst vele overwinningen waren, was een ode aan deze vechtkunst en levenswijze.
Dit boek van David Kirk is zeker zo goed uitgewerkt als het eerste maar net wat minder indrukwekkend. Of dat nu komt doordat ‘De erecode van de samoerai’ zo verpletterend was en dit deel daardoor minder vernieuwend, dat is moeilijk aan te geven. Het ligt zeker niet aan de personages of de verhaallijn want het is wederom een verhaal dat meer dan interessant is en bijzonder prettig leest. David Kirk weet absoluut een verhaal te vertellen en het is dan ook wachten op het afsluitende deel van deze trilogie. Wellicht dat daar nog wat puzzelstukjes op de plaats vallen.
4 sterren
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