Saturday, March 17, 2012

Young Samurai: Way of the Warrior by Chris Bradford


Bradford, Chris (2008). Young Samurai: Way of the Warrior. New York: Disney Hyperion Books.

Jack Fletcher is a 12 year old boy sailing around the world with his father on the Alexandria in 1611. When wakou attack the ship, Jack struggles to fight and survive and ends up stranded in a strange land - the Japans.

“Bushido is not just about courage and honor. Nor is its purpose fighting and warfare. Though they may be necessary stops on your journey, they are not your destination. The true essence of Bushido is rectitude, benevolence, and loyalty” (Bradford, pg. 326).

Jack Fletcher just wants to go home to his sister and England. But now he is stuck in “the Japans” and has been adopted by a mighty Samurai - Masamoto. Now he has to decide if he will return to England or embrace Bushido and become a Young Samurai.

I really liked this book and there are many other books in the Young Samurai series to read on after. It was a good action / adventure, with a little bit of romance for those who only want to read books that have a good love story in it. It is an interesting book about a culture that is so different from what we in America have grown up learning about. Many have compared Samurai to the Knights of Europe, but the differences become evident in this book. If you like a book about warriors, you will like this book!

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