author: Chris Bradford
name: IndyPL Kids
average rating: 4.29
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2011/02/09
date added: 2016/02/04
shelves: adventure
review:
Ninja pirates killed Jack’s father when they attacked his ship. Jack was rescued by a samurai sword master who takes him to his samurai school in Japan and begins training Jack in the way of the Samurai.
The way of the Samurai is very similar to something Jack does understand being an English schoolboy…and that is the chivalry of English Knights. The rules about loyalty, honor and mad fighting skills are very much the same whether you are talking about Japanese Samurai or English Knights. The Japanese culture though, is very, very different from what Jack knows. Jack is looked on with suspician by his fellow students. He has to work hard to gain their respect. He is at the same time pursued by his Father’s killer, the ninja Dragon Eye, who wants something Jack has that once belonged to his father.
In The Way of the Sword Jack’s adventures at the dojo continue as he prepares for the Circle of Three, a contest during which five students are chosen to perform a series of tests - kind of like the Tri Wizard tournament in Harry Potter except the Samurai students are all from the same school. The series of tests are actually deadly and only the very best students are chosen. Their skills are tested but also their discipline, loyalty and ability to control their own fear.
Can Jack survive the Circle of Three? And when Dragon Eye makes his move can Jack defend himself? Maybe with the help of his new Japanese friends and some pretty amazing Samurai teachers. This one made me one to go out and take a martial arts class. I also liked seeing a person like myself in a new environment. Usually stories are about a kid that is from somewhere else coming to OUR culture…but this one is the other way around…a kid like me going somewhere new. Jack’s English, but still, American and English customs have a lot of similarities. I could really relate to Jack trying to figure out the Japanese/Samurai ways because I didn’t understand at first either. Read Chapter One: The Way of the Sword
For more: http://www.imcpl.org/kids/blog/?p=8604
