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Ninja
PLEASE This story is approximately 10,000 words - it is NOT a novel! It is meant to be a prequel story to a fantasy series coming soon from Jon F. Merz.In the style of Robert E. Howard, NINJA tells the story of a mythical warrior hero named Ran as he graduates from the ninja school he has been attending for twenty years and begins undertaking all sorts of missions across an alternate Earth. Ran will travel far and wide gathering intelligence, acquiring priceless artifacts, and battling evil wherever he finds it... In this story, Ran is assigned to retrieve a magical sword from an evil sorcerer but fate intervenes and Ran is left with a tough carry out his assignment or do what he knows is best.Written by bestselling author Jon F. Merz, himself a 20-year+ practitioner and master instructor of Togakure-ryu Ninjutsu, NINJA is destined to thrill readers with its authentic ninja action combined with the adrenaline of the best fantasy fiction. This is the first in a planned series of adventure surrounding Ran.
52 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2010
3 people are currently reading
189 people want to read
About the author
Jon F. Merz
115 books486 followersAs a writer, Jon has published over 40 novels with major publishers like Kensington's Pinnacle Books, St. Martin's Press, and many more. He is also the author of eleven installments in the internationally bestselling adventure series Rogue Angel (2006-present) with Harlequin's Gold Eagle line. His short fiction story "Prisoner 392" (appeared alongside Stephen King in FROM THE BORDERLANDS, 2004, Warner Books) earned him an Honorable Mention in 2004's Year's Best Fantasy & Horror edited by Ellen Datlow. Jon has also co-authored two non-fiction books: LEARNING LATER, LIVING GREATER with Nancy Merz Nordstrom (2006, Sentient Publications) and THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO ULTIMATE FIGHTING with Rich "Ace" Franklin (2007, Alpha Books/Penguin/Putnam).
Jon is perhaps most famous for his Lawson Vampire series of supernatural action novels starring the Fixer Lawson, a jaded anti-hero charged with protecting a race of living vampires from exposure. There are currently six novels (The Fixer, The Invoker, The Destructor, The Syndicate, The Kensei, The Enchanter) two novellas (Slave to Love, The Courier) and five short stories (The Price of a Good Drink, Interlude, Red Tide, Rudolf the Red Nosed Rogue, Enemy Mine) in the series with many more adventures yet to come.
Jon's latest novel is the new Shadow Warrior series debuting in September from Baen Books. Book 1, UNDEAD HORDES OF KAN-GUL is due out September 3rd in stores everywhere.
Jon also publishes his backlist independently. You can find his ebooks on Amazon: http://bit.ly/jonfmerz Barnes & Noble's Nook store: http://bit.ly/bnjonfmerz and on Kobo: http://bit.ly/kjonfmerz
As a producer, Jon has formed New Ronin Entertainment with longtime friend Jaime Hassett to create television and feature film projects in the New England area. Their first project is THE FIXER, a new supernatural action series based on Jon's Lawson Vampire novels. Filming of the pilot begins in 2013.
Jon has studied authentic Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu/Ninjutsu for over twenty years under Mark Davis of the Boston Martial Arts Center. He has also trained with senior Bujinkan instructors both in the United States and Japan. During a trip to Japan in February 2003, Jon earned his 5th degree black belt directly from the 34th Grandmaster of Togakure-ryu Ninjutsu, Masaaki Hatsumi. In addition to traditional training, Jon has also taught defensive tactics to a wide range of clients, including civilian crime watch groups, police and EMS first responders, military units, and federal organizations including the US Department of State, the Department of Justice, and the Bureau of Prisons.
In his past, Jon served with the United States Air Force, worked for the US government, and handled executive protection for a variety of Fortune 500 clients.
Jon is perhaps most famous for his Lawson Vampire series of supernatural action novels starring the Fixer Lawson, a jaded anti-hero charged with protecting a race of living vampires from exposure. There are currently six novels (The Fixer, The Invoker, The Destructor, The Syndicate, The Kensei, The Enchanter) two novellas (Slave to Love, The Courier) and five short stories (The Price of a Good Drink, Interlude, Red Tide, Rudolf the Red Nosed Rogue, Enemy Mine) in the series with many more adventures yet to come.
Jon's latest novel is the new Shadow Warrior series debuting in September from Baen Books. Book 1, UNDEAD HORDES OF KAN-GUL is due out September 3rd in stores everywhere.
Jon also publishes his backlist independently. You can find his ebooks on Amazon: http://bit.ly/jonfmerz Barnes & Noble's Nook store: http://bit.ly/bnjonfmerz and on Kobo: http://bit.ly/kjonfmerz
As a producer, Jon has formed New Ronin Entertainment with longtime friend Jaime Hassett to create television and feature film projects in the New England area. Their first project is THE FIXER, a new supernatural action series based on Jon's Lawson Vampire novels. Filming of the pilot begins in 2013.
Jon has studied authentic Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu/Ninjutsu for over twenty years under Mark Davis of the Boston Martial Arts Center. He has also trained with senior Bujinkan instructors both in the United States and Japan. During a trip to Japan in February 2003, Jon earned his 5th degree black belt directly from the 34th Grandmaster of Togakure-ryu Ninjutsu, Masaaki Hatsumi. In addition to traditional training, Jon has also taught defensive tactics to a wide range of clients, including civilian crime watch groups, police and EMS first responders, military units, and federal organizations including the US Department of State, the Department of Justice, and the Bureau of Prisons.
In his past, Jon served with the United States Air Force, worked for the US government, and handled executive protection for a variety of Fortune 500 clients.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 26, 2016
This is the first ninja and the first Jon F. Merz story I’ve ever read, and I liked it. It was intensely adventurous, and I loved that it was a fantasy, even with its own evil wizard. He really knows what he’s writing about. The only negative thing I have to say is that the love between Ran and Cassandra felt forced and unnatural. I plan to give his Lawson Vampire novel series a try. I’m a big fan of vampire novels, and a series written from a man’s perspective has me eager for the promise of its potential.
January 9, 2011
Good short story. I like that the author appears to have done his research. Doesn't have the ninja wearing pure black or other silly things like that. I especially appreciated the paragraphs on stealth since I've recently been playing the Assassin's Creed series. Looking forward to reading more.
March 6, 2011
Very cute short story. In the limited pages he managed to tell a very vivid story of a ninja on a quest to graduate. its not campy or full of the typical ninja stereotypes.
Quick read that will keep you entertained.
Quick read that will keep you entertained.
January 8, 2019
Well now I want more and I don't see where the author has written the series! This is a little teaser into what seems to be a very promising story!
October 15, 2013
This was a quick and fun read. Swords & Sorcery meets the Ninja. What's not to like?
July 29, 2010
Ninja short story - didn'tshow me anything to suggest that the full novel would be anyuthing but middle of the road.
February 11, 2011
Free Friday selection Dec 17, 2010
December 28, 2010
Good short story. It did a good job getting me interested in reading more.
June 3, 2014
This a great read from Jon F. Merz who never disappoints. Lots of action and plot twists. My only complaint is it is too short. Looking forward to reading more in the future
Want to read
April 28, 2011This look like a good book. Am i trying to shake up my categories of books and try something new.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews