Young Samurai

The Setting: Japan. The Date: 1612. The Main Character: Jack Fletcher - an English boy adopted by a Japanese lord after the death of his father and in training to be a samurai. This second book in the Young Samurai series by Chris Bradford titled 'The Way of the Sword" is fast paced and intriguing. While it took a bit to get into it, once in it was hard to put down.

Jack is circled by challenges: a group of fellow samurai students who tease and torment him because he is gaijin, an evil ninja trying to kill him for his father's navigational log book and the competition he takes on in order to learn Two Heavens, a special martial arts technique. This ancient ritual, called the Circle of Three, tests mind, body and spirit to the limit. He is young and tempestuous and usually learns the hard way but that is what makes this story so appealing. The author's knowledge of martial arts and the culture of Japan is extensive and fascinating.

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