"My students who pick up "The Way of the Warrior" will jump into 'The Way of the Sword'" — Miss Remmers
From Amazon.com...
"After a vicious ninja attack left him orphaned and stranded in Japan, Jack Fletcher managed to complete his first year of samurai school. Still, his troubles are far from over. The prejudice of his Japanese classmates has gained him dangerous enemies within his school, and Dragon Eye – the ninja who killed his father – is still after him. Jack’s only hope of defeating them lies in surviving the Circle of Three: an ancient ritual that tests a samurai’s courage, skill, and spirit to the limit.
For most, gaining entry into the Circle means honor and glory, but for Jack it’s a matter of life or death. The winner will be trained in the Two Heavens—the formidable sword technique of the great samurai, Masamoto. Learning this secret is the only hope Jack has of protecting his father’s rutter — the invaluable navigation guide of the world’s uncharted oceans — from Dragon Eye.
Forced into a deadly battle, Jack’s going to have to master the Way of the Sword. And his time is running out."
My Review of Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior.
If you remember, I struggled with getting into "The Way of the Warrior" but once I opened it I couldn't put it down. I had the similar problem with this novel — I just couldn't get myself to open the book for the longest time. I'm not sure why — I like this cover much more than the first novel. It wasn't the premise; I adored "The Way of the Warrior." And once I did resolve myself to sitting down and reading it (primarily due to the Summer Break Reading Challenge's third activity) I still had a hard time getting into this book.
I'm not sure why I didn't like this book as much as I adored "The Way of the Warrior." The characters were still strong, likable, and believable. The plot was fast-paced, intriguing, and captivating. And as I mentioned previously, this cover will definitely grab my boy students' attention.
One thing that really struck me was my attachment to Jack, the protagonist. In the beginning when all he can think of is his homeland and his baby sister my heart yearned for him to return home as quickly as possible. And in the end (no spoilers), my heart broke for him and this unfortunate ending. One of the reasons I probably didn't take to this novel as well as the first is because of the cliff-hanger ending; I'm not a big fan of ending a book with conflict. But I guess, now that I think about it, it was a very powerful ending.
One thing I absolutely love about these books are the concepts of culture and family. Look for an expanded post later this week.
While I can't place why I didn't take to this book like I did the first, I am confident that my students who pick up "The Way of the Warrior" will jump into "The Way of the Sword" and "The Way of the Dragon" (to be released in the near future). I, too, will be picking up "The Way of the Dragon." While this is a definitely a different review than "The Way of the Warrior" — I need to find out what happens to Jack and his friends and will continue reading this series through the end.
Originality: 10/10
Ending: 7/10
Characters: 8/10
Plot: 8/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 4/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 8/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 7/10
Overall: 82/100 B
Favorite Quotes:
"Understand that those who successfully complete the Spirit challenge are not free of fear, but simply no longer afraid to fear" (362).
To the FTC, with love: Review Copy
