Young Samurai: The Ring of Earth by Chris Bradford

Synopsis

Jack Fletcher is on the run.

With no sensei to guide him, he has just his wits and his swords against many new and unknown enemies, as he journeys along the treacherous road to the port of Nagasaki and perhaps home...

But the Shogun's samurai are hot on his trail. Barely escaping their clutches, Jack runs headlong into a trap. Kidnapped by ninja and led to their village deep in the mountains, Jack has no means of escape.

The only question is who will kill him first - the ninja or samurai?

As I haven't read any of the earlier instalments in the Young Samurai series I was unsure if I'd be able to jump in. However, courtesy of a letter to his sister at the beginning, I was up to speed with Jack's journey so far. The book opens headfirst into the action with Jack trying to keep a low profile and get out of the country. However, he's wanted and is soon on the run from other samurai straight into a village of ninjas. Jack's father was killed by a notorious ninja and so he finds that he has to reconcile his feelings and judge those around him by their actions rather than their reputation.

The ninja village is hidden in the mountains, almost impossible to find. Jack decides to stay to learn new skills and hide from the patrolling samurai seeking him out. I found Jack an interesting character; he's thoughtful and caring which is not at all what I expected. There's plenty of high action and gore, some brilliant fighting scenes. Much as I loved these I also enjoyed Jack's growing respect and friendship with Soke the Grandmaster of the village. Soke has a wealth of information to share, not all of which Jack takes on board at the time. Alongside all of this it's clear that not everyone in the village is happy to welcome the stranger as Jack has to battle for respect and acceptance.

High action and intrigue aside I'm pleased to have read and enjoyed this book. One massive reason for this is that it gives me another series to recommend to boys who've finished reading Percy Jackson or Skulduggery Pleasant. I often get parents in the library desperate for any recommendation for their sons and I have a good list of authors that I'd recommend but am always looking for new ones. The Young Samurai series is perfect for the 8-12 age group. There's a warning on the back regarding the scenes of violence but there's more to the series than this and I didn't find them out of place or gratuitous.

Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior, Chris Bradford

Synopsis:

August, 1611.

Jack Fletcher is shipwrecked off the coast of Japan – his beloved father and the crew lie slaughtered by ninja pirates.

Rescued by the legendary sword master Masamoto Takeshi, Jack’s only hope is to become a samurai warrior. And so his training begins . . .

But life at the samurai school is a constant fight for survival. Even with his friend Akiko by his side, Jack is singled out by bullies and treated as an outcast.

With courage in his heart and his sword held high, can Jack prove himself and face his deadliest rival yet?

I am a big massive huge fan of movies in the vein of The Seven Samurai, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, House of Flying Daggers, Hero, Kung Fu Hustle and even the stunning Versus. Let's not forget Lone Wolf and Cub, Bichunmoo, Fearless - the list is endless. In other words, any movie set in ancient China or Japan that has to do with swords, heroes, kicks, action.

Which is why I jumped with glee when I received Chris Bradford's amazing Young Samurai: The way of the warrior in the post from Puffin.

This book - in a word - rocks.

Set in Japan it follows a young English boy, Jack Fletcher's adventures in the Masamoto household. He is rescued by Masamoto after the ship he is travelling on, with his father as the pilot, is attacked by pirates and ninjas. Jack's father is murdered by a ninja, known as the Dragon Eye. Jack survives and is wracked with guilt because he could not help save his father.

In the Masamoto household he makes friends with the lovely Akiko and learns to basics of fighting with the wooden swords known as bokken from Masamoto's only surviving son, Yamato. He foils an attempt by a group of ninja to steal the only possession he has of his father, the rutter - a journal to help him reach home, once he is able to translate it's odd writings - and at the same time, he helps rescue Yamato from certain death.

Masamoto immediately decides that Jack, Yamato and Akiko should travel to his very exclusive school for Samurai, to learn the way of the warrior. Once there the friends are faced by xenophobia and Jack is ousted as a foreign devil, a gaijin, eventhough he deports himself with good grace and honourable bearing.

A lot happens in this first book and it is written in a very scenic way. I utterly loved it and can't wait to get the rest of the series. The author, in an interview in the back says that he wrote the book in two months, which is no mean feat. It is comprehensively referenced and probably will do for martial arts what JKR did for wizards. I can guarantee you that if you read it, even if you are 75, you will want to take up some form of martial arts. I am certain I am secretly Michelle Yeoh.

It is written with great enthusiasm for its subject matter and the author uses Jack as the perfect foil to demonstrate the differences between the two very different cultures. Through Jack we watch them progress in the school, we experience the rigourous training expected of the young Samurai and we learn a lot about the way of the warrior. These themes are explained meticulously through the teaching of the various tutors in the school. Again, really well done, with a light touch, so it never becomes preachy or in your face.

Chris Bradford's site can be found here and the Young Samurai site can be found here.