Eyes of the Emperor

Prisoners of the Empire #2

by Graham Salisbury

Eddy Okana lies about his age and joins the Army in his hometown of Honolulu only weeks before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Suddenly Americans see him as the enemy—even the U.S. Army doubts the loyalty of Japanese American soldiers.

Then the Army sends Eddy and a small band of Japanese American soldiers on a secret mission to a small island off the coast of Mississippi. Here they are given a special job, one that only they can do. Eddy's going to help train attack dogs. He's going to be the bait.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Historical, World War II, War, Cultural

229 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 9, 2005

About the author

Graham Salisbury comes from a 100-year line of newspapermen, all associated with Hawaii's morning paper, the Honolulu Advertiser. Although a career as a newsman could have been possible, Salisbury chose to imagine rather than report. "I enjoy writing about characters who might have been. To me, exploring fictional themes, situations, and lives is a quietly exhilarating experience. There are times when completely unexpected happenings take place as my fingertips walk the keyboard, things that make me laugh or get all choked up or even amaze me."
Salisbury's drive to write about the emotional journey that kids must take to become adults in a challenging and complicated world is evident throughout his work. Says the author: "I've thought a lot about what my job is, or should be as an author of books for young readers. I don't write to teach, preach, lecture, or criticize, but to explore. And if my stories show characters choosing certain life options, and the possible consequences of having chosen those options, then I will have done something worthwhile."

His books -- Eyes of the Emperor, Blue Skin of the Sea, Under the Blood-Red Sun, Shark Bait, Jungle Dogs, Lord of the Deep, Island Boyz and his short stories, too -- have been celebrated widely with praise and distinguished awards. Graham Salisbury, winner of the PEN/Norma Klein Award, grew up on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii. Later, he graduated from California State University, Northridge, and received an MFA degree from Vermont College of Norwich University. In fact, he was a member of the founding faculty of Vermont College's highly successful MFA program in Writing for Children, now the Union Institute & University.

Other important things to know about this author: He worked as the skipper of a glass-bottom boat, as a deckhand on a deep-sea charter fishing boat, and as an Montessori elementary school teacher. His
rock-and-roll band, The Millennium, had a number one hit in the Philippines, which he composed. He once surfed with a shark, got stung by a Portuguese man-of-war (several times!), and swam for his life from a moray eel. Believe it or not, he didn't wear shoes until the sixth grade and never saw snow until he was nineteen. Graham Salisbury now lives with his family in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

i curse my elementary and high school education because it failed to teach me cool shit about world war II. or anything that wasn't related to the damn 13 colonies.i know everything there is to know about the mating rituals of the quakers (zzzzzzzzzzz) but i have no idea who won the civil war.

here are some things i have just learned today:

hawaii is moving toward japan at the rate of almost 4 inches per year - snapple plum-a-granate tea cap

during world war II, 25 american soldiers of japanese descent who were living in hawaii were sent to "cat island" to be used as bait for dogs being trained as attack dogs adept in "scenting out japs". - this here book i just read

seriously??

yes, seriously.

i know i am completely unaware of huge chunks of standard-issue-information that everybody seems to know intuitively or just from casual newswatching, but you would think i would know about this. to me, it is both horrifying and strangely hilarious to think that the president authorized this. can you imagine the conversation initiating this program??

"we are going to have dogs trained to sniff out japs. you know, for war."

"what a fantastic idea! where are we going to get these japs??"

"well, we have some american-japs in our army"

"okay, but if they are american, can the dogs still identify them as japs??"

"certainly, they are still japs, right?"

"okay, but are our soldiers cool with being hunted like this??"

"well, they are americans! and soldiers! they have taken an oath of loyalty!"

"but you just said they were japs"

"no shit, it's crazy, right? we are just making it up as we go along here - military improv. did you see pearl harbor?? kaboom! it's nutso but this just feels right."

wow. although the above are not actual transcripts, that's probably the way it went down. (lgm)

so i thank this book for finally teaching me something about the history of my own damn country, and now i want to find a full-length, nonfiction account of all this because it fascinates me. this book was an amuse-bouche for my brain, but 224 mass-market pages are not enough.

bad dog!



come to my blog!

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book caught me off guard. At first I thought I was going to be reading a normal World War II book, but this wasn't the average World War II book. Instead of a war story of fighting and killing, this book told a story from a more homeland perspective. I actually liked this approach. It got me thinking about the other parts of the war and not just parts fought in battles. The book pointed out how racial America was to Japanese people and culture during world war II. It was a change from the average war book and I enjoyed it.
Everything changes when the Japanese decide to bomb Pearl Harbor, which is located on the same island as Eddy’s home. Like many in the United States, Eddy hears the call to arms and decides he is going to fight for his country. Against his father's and mother's wishes he enlist at the age of 17. Eddy expects to see action, but the U.S Military has other plans for him. Since him and his friends are all Japanese themselves, the military does not trust them. Instead they send Eddy and a small group of men to go train dogs in the Gulf Coast. These men were picked solely on the fact that they were “Japs”. Therefore they must smell and act like the same “Japs” that these dogs are going to train to kill. After increasingly harsh training and violence, the men are sent back home.

There are many different characters in this book. The main character Eddy is your every day kid in the 1940's. He plays baseball, helps his father, and likes to have fun with his friends. His best friends are Cobra and Golden Boy and these two are funny. They bring a cynical sense of humor. Whenever there is a serious moment, you can expect them to make jokes.

The setting of this book takes place in many places. From Hawaii to Wisconsin and Wisconsin to two islands of the coast of Mississippi in the 1940's during world war II. These island have a tropical feel to them much like the island that U.S soldiers were fighting on in the pacific.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to see a different view on World War II. It gives an idea to what it must be like torn between two worlds. I feel that to read this book you have to have some what of an idea of what life was like in the 40’s.I feel that the target age for this book is a teenager. This book would be good for a person thinking about joining the military. Also, this book could mostly be for guys due to the fact that it is more centered around guy humor and war.

[Davis Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard book to put down. Most people know about the prejudice against Japanese-Americans after Pearl Harbor, but this goes deeper by explaining the government’s (and the public’s) general philosophies about the issue and how they dealt with it. The writing is really crisp, captivating, and gritty. Yes, it uses classic “story about racism” tropes to convey its heart-wrenching points (and warning: you’re going to grit your teeth in anger), but the main moral exists on a more thought-provoking level. Are personal rights or security more paramount? How far would you go in allegiance to your country? One thing to to take into consideration is that it is written in a sort of dialect, and although not at all tough reading, it takes a while to get used to. In general, a remarkably interesting and recommended yarn about patriotism and personal conflict, and just a well-executed piece of work in general.

[TerryC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an exceptional book about a few people from Japan who joined the army where they were treated terribly and like trash. They were thought of as the enemy at the time, because the Japanese were responsible for the bombing of Pearl Harbor. However, sadly, like many other races, they were mistreated even though not all Japanese were bad people. They were used as "test" subjects on dogs, where the Japanese would try to get dogs to hate them. The commanders would later send the dogs along with the Japanese soldiers into the middle of the forest. It was sad at some points, but it was very inspirational. It told to never give up, whether you are going through hard times or not. Although many of them died bravely and heroically, some of them lived through the war.

[rhea ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

sick to my stomach after reading this. i couldn’t put it down — it was action packed from page one!!!

book one was about the attack on pearl harbor from a young japanese-american civilian's perspective; and book two (this one) is from a young japanese-american solider's perspective. i really loved seeing the huge contrast in experience between eddy and tomi.

i wish i had read this in history class back when i first learned about the pearl harbor attack in elementary school 3 it was terrible, gorey, horrifying, tragic, and insane what he and other japanese-americans went through in the days past the attack.

[Steven Billington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Response:
I like Eyes of the Emperor because it shows how people can change during only a few events. I do not really understand why Eddy lies about his age. It backfires on him because weeks later Pearl Harbor happened. Then the military felt that any person who is a Japanese descendant is their enemy and had a doubt of their loyalty.

Plot:
Eddy lives with his father on the island of Honolulu. Eddy’s father has the heritage of being Japanese. Also, Eddy’s father is one of the few boatbuilders of the island and a few anti-Japanese goes to the harbor and set his boat on fire for a protest. That inspires Eddy to join the military and fight for what he believes even though he is Japanese. The other soldiers do not think of the Japanese as soldiers but as enemies. All people of Japanese descendants are required to go to the boot camp to guard against enemy submarines. Five months later Eddy’s unit transfers to Camp McCoy, which is in Wisconsin. Their unit transfers after completion with boot camp. After Eddy told his commander that all that he ever wants is respect, now think of everyone as equals.

Characterization:
Eddy is the main hero of this story and the only one who thinks that it is right to fight for his country. Eddy is the main protagonist of this story while his own country, Japan, would be the antagonist. Eddy’s father is one of the main boat builders of the island of Honolulu and is proud that he is Japanese. Eddy’s mother is very worrisome about Eddy joining the army and does not want him to go. Eddy’s brother bugs Eddy a lot, and Eddy’s brother also agrees with their mom that he should not go to fight in the army.

Setting:
This story takes place in the time of World War II and Japan decides to join the Axis powers. Eddy’s family lives on the main islands of Hawaii. The time is December 7, 1941 on Pearl Harbor. Eddy’s father does not believe that Japan is bombing the US because he thinks of the attack as a coward’s move.

Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to both boys and girls of thirteen who like history. There is some content in this book that might be upsetting to a few people about being Japanese. Overall, it teaches readers to stand up for what they believe in.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eddy Okubo, 16, may have parents who were born in Japan, but he was born in Hawaii and considers himself strictly American. Eddy is a smart kid and has already graduated from high school. So far, though, all has been doing is helping his father out with his boat building business, not really know what he wants to do in life.

Now, Eddy thinks enlisting in the US Army might be something he would like to do after hearing about it from his friends, Chik and Cobra, both 18, who have just been drafted. Trouble is that his Pop has other plans for him - he wants Eddy to go to Japan to learn about his culture and even expects Eddy to be loyal to the Emperor. Pop's attitude has caused many clashes between Eddy and his father, who still holds on dearly to his Japanese heritage.

But, with Japan already at war, both are aware that things are heating up on the island for the Japanese who live there and it is no real surprise when the boat they have just finished building is set on fire and sinks. In an attempt to prove his loyalty as an American citizen, Eddy forges his birth certificate and joins the army. No sooner does he announce this at home, and his father stops speaking to him.

Seven weeks later, on his first leave, Japan attacks Pearl Harbor. Eddy's father sees the sneak attack as cowardly and shameful and tells Eddy "No make shame for this family. You go. Fight for your country. Die, even, but die with honor." (pg 41) Eddy races back to his barracks, where soldiers are being loaded into trucks, everyone except for Eddy, Chik and Cobra and about 600 other island boys. Instead, they are given tools and told to dig trenches on the base, and for the first time, they are referred to as "Japs" by their new Lieutenant. Worse still, as they dig the trenches, machine guns are pointed at their backs, ready to shoot should they make one wrong move.

From then on, life in the army changes for Eddy and his friends. No longer treated like soldiers, they become "grunts" and "Japs," isolated from the rest of the soldiers. Eventually, the small number of Japanese Americans are separated from the rest of the island boys and forced to live in tents near the shoreline, again with machine guns pointed their way at all times. Their job - to shoot any Japanese soldiers who might try to land or be shot themselves.

After a while, they are sent to the mainland, and while traveling to Camp McCoy, WI, they see other Japanese Americans who have been herded into internment camps. At Camp McCoy, Eddy's unit is finally given the designation the Hundredth Infantry Battalion and for once, their immediate superiors are also of Japanese descent.

After a short stay at Camp McCoy, around 25 members of the Hundredth are transferred again. A Swiss émigré had managed to convince President Roosevelt that dogs could be trained to sniff out enemy Japanese because they have a different smell than non-Japanese people. Eddy and his friends are picked to go the Cat Island, MS, where they must participate in the training of army dogs by becoming the "hate bait" necessary to teach the dogs to hate and kill Japanese soldiers under the direction of the Swiss émigré.

This is the longest and by far the most disturbing part of Eyes of the Emperor. And as I read it, it boggled my mind to think that we could treat human beings with such complete disregard for their lives, since much of what they were forced to do is insulting, humiliating and dangerous. But remembering his father's words, Eddy always does what he is ordered to do - with honor.

In his very informative Author's Note, Salisbury writes that Eddy's story is based on real events and interviews he had with soldiers from the Hundredth Infantry Battalion Separated (as they were referred to, meaning separated from the rest of the army). Some of the characters in the story are real men who actually experienced the events Salisbury writes about. In addition, many of the men in the battalion eventually went on to distinguish themselves in battle when they were finally allowed to do what they had signed up for. In fact, Salisbury points out that every man who was on Cat Island received at least one purple heart and one bronze star. Salisbury has written a sensitive, perceptive yet hard hitting novel dealing with xenophobia and how it is experienced by those it is directed at simply because of how they look. Indeed, this novel resonates even today.

This book is recommended for readers age 12+
This book was bought for my personal library

[David Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "Eyes of the Emperor" is a great book to read. This book was very catching when i read the back cover. It looked very interesting when it said Eddie had a secret mission to do. The book shows you how these Japanese men and women stayed dedicated to the United States. Some even fought for the U.S. Eddie was one of them.

The story is about seventeen year old Eddie. He joins the Army even though his friends try to talk him out of it. He signs and lies about his age. He wants to help the Americans out in the German war, but soon they will be in war with their own home country, Japan. The Japanese hate the Americans and they want their islands back. The Americans are already helping Russia and France crush the German powers. For the life of the American/Japanese who live in Hawaii is peaceful, but what they don't know is their whole world is going to change. The Japanese are coming for a surprise attack . The Americans are not ready for the attack and think that it is going to be a regular morning. The Japanese planes are moving in fast. Soon there is an explosion and then another. The peaceful morning is now gone and America is at war. The American/Japanese soldiers and families are shocked at what they see. Their own countries are fighting each other. After the attack the soldiers who are American/Japanese are treated differently. They are the low of low in the Army and get no respect. They do not understand. The fathers of the families are taken away to be questioned. They get to go home later on back to their families. Eddie and his friends are sent on a secret mission after all of this happens. The government believes the Japanese have a different body odor than regular Americans. They get war dogs to work with them and the dogs owner. At first the dogs are nice, but as the training goes on they become into killing machines. In the end the test failed, but they still used the dogs to help them in war. Eddie and his friends soon get to go into battle in Germany where they always wanted to go.

There are a lot of characters in this book. Eddie is the seventeen year old trying to join and does join the Army. There is his mom and dad. They are mentioned at the beginning of the book. He has a younger brother too. There are a lot more characters like his two friends Cobra and Chik. They all were good friends throughout the war.

The setting of the book was in 1941. It was the beginning of WWII. The Americans were on both frontiers fighting in Germany and in the Islands of the Pacific.


The theme of the book was saying don't judge people by their covers, but get to know them before you say things about them. Everyone should be treated equal and right.

This was a great book to read. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about how some Americans were treated in the war. There is some harsh things that are mean, but nothing to bad. It is a 5 star book to read and it was very interesting.

[Ella Brucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Eyes of the Emperor" was an adventure packed book about a boy who joins the army. The boy has to fight in an unexpected way to keep his life and his family honor. The book is full of unexpected turns and really sucks you into it. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to young adult readers who like adventure and historical fiction.

[Arlene Morrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely a bit of history that I was not aware of and it was very informative. This is a good book and for anyone who is interested in some things history books neglect to inform Americans regarding World War II. It is very heartbreaking on many levels and was not an easy read.

[Arielle Alvarado-Loanzon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only thing I appreciated about this book was that it presented a different perspective and gave us insight into the experiences of the Japanese Americans during the World War II, particularly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The way that the Japanese Americans were mistreated afterwards by the American government (regardless of their being born and raised in America or being recognized as American soldiers prior to the event) is highlighted in this book, which was important because these stories have been more or less erased in our history.

However, I did not appreciate the misrepresentation of the Japanese culture — I felt that telling the story from the first person POV of a Japanese American was not very appropriate as a lot of the cultural aspects of this book didn’t feel as thoroughly explored or expounded on, given how complex the situation was. I also felt like there wasn’t consistency (the protagonist thinks in fluent English but when speaks with other Japanese Americans uses broken English) and some Generalizations that don’t necessarily apply to all members of this group of people.

Secondly, the ending was a bit off-putting because it was still a white soldier (in authority) who gave them honor.. which felt like it was still their honor to give. It may not have been the intention of the author to come off as such, but it did.. at least to me.

Lastly, I feel this book would have been better off or at least a bit more balanced if the author had written more from the POV of one of the soldiers who had to implement the orders from the government regarding the Japanese Americans.. I feel like the internal conflict from that POV might have been a bit more appropriate.

But I mean these are just my opinions. I am Asian and everything I felt about this book is probably also because this is my context. All opinions are valid so if you liked this book or if the premise interests you, then pick it up and read it. :)

[Jthorpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eyes of the Emperor is about a boy named Eddy Okubo who is a Japanese-American in Hawaii and joins the U.S. Army at the time of WW2. He volunteers despite warnings from his friends, Chik and Cobra, and begins his army training. At first things proceed as expected but then comes the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This prompts the army’s untrust of the Japanese-Americans and all Japanese-Americans are placed under watch. However, soon after this takes place, Eddy and other Japanese-Americans are sent to an island in the Mississippi for canine training due to their supposed “Japanese” smell.

I enjoyed this book due to its realistic approach to the army: getting up early, doing work, eating, doing work, sleeping, then rinse and repeat. It made me understand the components of war and the labor that goes into it. I mean, I’m not a history buff, but reading made me want to know more about the events that took place in this time of conflict.

I believe that regardless of if you enjoy books that are historical or historical fiction, you should read this book. It made me understand the struggles that every soldier felt: separation, mistreatment, etc., and how they were treated as they were fighting. Additionally, this book also shines light on racism and discrimination at this time and the negative effects that are produced when things are assumed about those different than you, which, to me, makes it an automatic favorite.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eyes of the Emperor by Graham Salisbury is another historical fiction novel. This time, it’s about a young Japanese American who enlists in the military, named Eddy Okubo, in 1942 before Pearl Harbour is attacked, but once it is, none trust the Japanese. Because of this, Eddy and his friends, who had also enlisted, are soon shipped off to an island off the coast of Mississippi, where they are used to train dogs to kill Japanese soldiers. This story is not only about brotherhood, shown by the unwavering loyalty one another, but also it is strongly shown that all people are the same, regardless of race. The most compelling evidence of this is on 213 and 214, when the dogs fail to find Eddy, “On the boat headed back to Ship island we all knew that our time here was over. If the dogs couldn’t find us just because we were Japanese, then what was the use of Japanese dog bait?” The aforementioned brotherhood is shown on 164, James needs help rowing back into the island with supplies in very stormy conditions, so Slim swims out to help him, but almost dies of hypothermia in the process. Then there is the symbolism of Ship Island, the island they sleep on was built by the army during the civil war and once a quarantine station for yellow fever. Of course, it’s like the army is quarantining their Japanese soldiers on that island. This is a good book, and given the choice, I would read it again.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally I usually like World War II historical fiction, but this one fell short. This was a young-adult novel and it was about a young man named Eddy who is Japanese living in Hawaii joining the army in 1941. A few months after he joins Pearl Harbor happens and the U.S is at war. His parents were born in Japan and are very traditional. His father wants him to attend university in Japan since he graduated early. This doesn’t happen and he ends up getting sent to war and sees his family and other Japanese people experience prejudice.

I liked the story about him and his schoolmates joining and one of his teachers also being their superior. I felt I would see more combat. In the first part Eddy, his friends and other soldiers who were Japanese are all stuck setting up defenses in Hawaii while being treated like their the enemy and the other part is them being on a boat in south and training dogs. The story ends with Eddy and his friends going to be shipped to Europe. I felt it was a very watered down version for young people to read about. I also felt they could have given some closure besides his brother writing him (his only) letter while away saying “mom and dad are working trying to help during the war” I will try and give the authors other book a chance.

2.3/5

[Recoco]

When i first saw this book I thought i would be just another World War II documentary book (which I do like reading though :)). But it wasn't. Eyes of the emperor is about a Japanese boy living in Honolulu right before the bombing of pearl harbor in 1941. Eddy, the main character lies about his age and enlists in the army. Then the Army sends Eddy and a small band of Japanese American soldiers on a secret mission to a small island off the coast of Mississippi. Here they are given a special job, one that only they can do. Eddy's going to help train attack dogs. He's going to be the bait.

Eyes of the Emperor gives a lot of insight into the prejudice that the Japanese-Americans faced during that time. How could their own countrymen turn on them? Why did they think they were spies. Eddy also thought of these questions as he endured the dogs on that Mississippi island. Of course he was a fictional character but this story was still pretty powerful. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down.

Very good read for middle/high school students an anyone interested in World War II or general history.

[Dogeared Wanderer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eddy is a young Japanese-American who lives with his family in Hawaii right before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Due to increasing hostility against Asians, he joins the Army to prove his loyalty. There are many orders he doesn't understand but follows them anyway in an attempt to honor his country and make his family proud.

Later he and his unit are sent to the mainland where they are part of top secret training on Cat Island just off the coast of Mississippi. He is horrified and humiliated to discover that military K9s are being trained to sniff out Japanese vs. American soldiers -- and Japanese-American soldiers are the bait during training.

This book does a great job showing the dilemma of American soldiers who were trying to follow orders without compromising their dignity as human beings. This story shows how Eddy chose to do both without compromising either one and gives an interesting story from World War II history.

[Reagan Cogdill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is extremely interesting. At first, I checked it out because I thought "hey a book about history, I like those," but after reading I can see a larger meaning behind it. The book is centered around a 2nd generation boy whose parents moved to America from Japan when they were younger. It's set in the '40s, during the bombing of pearl harbor and the beginning of WW2, so one could already assume where I'm going with this. I concluded that this was a way to shed light on the way Japanese American people were treated during the 2nd world war. I've read books about similar topics, where families would be sent to dangerous camps during the war to ensure they couldn't "harm" anyone. It was cruel how Japanese-American folks were treated back then and this book does a good job at explaining it without literally having to explain it.

[Thistle · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I finished When My Name Was Keoko, I said it would be a long time before I read another historical fiction book. Well turns out I'm running low on books with things with wings on the cover, so here I am with this one.

Also set during WW2, this time the story centers around Japanese characters (a Japanese family living in America). Since it was related (sort of) to When My Name Was Keoko, I was interested to see how it would be.

Set in Hawaii, the Japanese family were boat makers, but the oldest son wanted to run off and join the US army.

Unfortunately the author typed out the accents (Japanese ESL) and tried to write the dialogue in period-ways. It came off as bad movie accents to me, like stereotyping. I didn't get more than a chapter or two into the book before the dialogue made me DNF it.

[Amy Henriod · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I wanted to get into this story, I couldn't! I read this book for my young adult book class in college, and was looking forward to the story as I have always had a fascination with pearl harbor and WWII, however the author's writing style couldn't grab my attention and I really just couldn't get lost in the pages. For a different young adult, however, the case could be different. I would recommend it for anyone interested in Pearl Harbor (maybe they would have better luck with the story than I did). I could see this book being taught in High Schools on the subject of racial indifference after the Pearl Harbor incident.

Trigger warnings:
War
Based on real events
Aggression/violence

[Cameron Kelly-Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a middle reader, this is a good example of historic documentary fiction that could easily spark an interest in history and raise logical questions that should be questioned. Why do we mistreat those we fear and why do we have traditional and xenophobic fears? What does it mean to be an American? What should it mean to be an American? It's a quick read and it hits all the right points. Right up until the end when everything is nicely wrapped up by a single authority figure in just a few sentences. The complexity of history and the novel could have used an ending that better dealt with its subject. I wouldn't read it a second time, but it was definitely reading a first and I am now interested to read the companion novel Under The Blood-Red Sun.

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eddy Okubo is a 16-year-old American with Japanese parents living in Honolulu in 1941. He has graduated from high school early and is troubled by the problems between his country and that of his parents.

So he forges his birth certificate to make himself two years older and enlists in the U.S. Army.

While he is still in basic training, the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor and his hometown. And suddenly other soldiers are considering him Japanese instead of American. It's an interesting perspective of the problems facing Japanese Americans -- even those in the Army.

[Kyle Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was certainly very interesting and was much different than what I originally anticipated. What I thought would be a story of war turned out to be a story of something much different. It follows the story of a group of young boys and their struggles to be soldiers in the U.S Army. Cast away because of their race and sent off to a mysterious island to work on a strange experiment, these boys never got the war and the heat of battle they thought they would. Instead they saw something very few every did.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1941 Eddy Okubo is sixteen but that will not stop him from joining the army with his two closest friends. They are first-generation Japanese Americans, living in Hawaii. Soon after they join, Pearl Harbor is bombed and all recruits with Japanese background are suspect.
It is then that Eddy and his Japanese friends are selected for a special, secret assignment. They are shipped to a small island off the Mississippi Coast. They are part of a program to train dogs to kill...and they are the bait.
Based on true facts. Well written and a part of history that is not often shared freely.

[Ari Rickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the book primarily for the history, but Salisbury also does a good job keeping the reader engaged with short, focused chapters. I got a little tired of Eddy's experiences with the dog being the main relationship driving the plot. It felt a little juvenile - especially against the backdrop of the raging war and the internment of thousands of Japanese Americans. Salisbury did engage with these heavier topics, but they felt tangential. Ultimately, a quick, breezy read which introduced me to a little corner of WII history I otherwise wouldn't have known about.

[Jr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book because it talks about Eddy and his friend's journey to get to war. It's also cool because they are 3 Japanese people that live in America and serving for their country even though they aren't totally American. I think a lot of people would like this book because it talks about friendship with Eddy, Chit, and Cobra but it also talks about trying to overcome adversity because when you are training miles away from home you tend to miss your family and become homesick. If you love war-type books or just like reading in general I would recommend this book to you.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written story about a side of WWII that isn't talked about or seemly mentioned ever. It's the part where US soldiers of Japanese ancestry are taken to an island and used to train dogs to sniff them out and attack because they "smell"differently than European Americans. The dogs will then be taken to Japan and used to attack the Japanese because they are accustomed to the "smell" of Japanese. Needless to say, the project failed. The book is well written and a fast read.

[Anne Ochs · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Eyes of the Emperor" is written for junior high aged students. It is a historical novel beginning in 1941. The author does well in depicting the struggles experienced by the young Japanese Americans who were in the armed services when Pearl Harbor was attacked. The mission the protagonist and his companions were sent was shockingly stupid and was based on the presumption that the Japanese have a smell that can be differentiated from those of the Caucasian by dogs ... REALLY?!

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Eye of the Emperor with my 5th and 6th graders in Hawaii. It was amusing to see how many of them didn't realize that other states could have islands, too! I enjoy reading Salisbury's books with my classes, especially because of the connections to Hawaii. The students were fascinated by Cat Island and were both amazed and appalled by the way the boys were treated. However, the class was collectively disappointed with the ending, as they wanted the story to continue!

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the short chapters...an easy read. I found myself wanting more when I finished. It was a great, quick read. It was interesting to see the perceptions of others for the Japenese Americans. I found it interesting to see the difference in the dad (raised in Japan) versus his son (raised in the US).

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Salisbury uses a way of storytelling that lets you slip in the protagonist's skin. It's a very intimate fictional interpretation of the experience real soldiers went through.

You feel the pride of protecting your home, the hurt of discrimination, and the extreme exhaustion of an inhumane and arguably pointless program Roosevelt approved.

It's short and easy read, but it never really leaves you.