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The Way of the Sword
(Young Samurai #2)
by
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 ...more
ebook, 0 pages
Published
March 16th 2010
by Disney Press
(first published July 2nd 2009)
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Start your review of The Way of the Sword (Young Samurai Series #2)
You know how it is when you find a book you really love, you pick up the sequel and you so hope it’s as good as the first one. You just pray you’re not going to be disappointed. The Way of the Sword was every bit as good as The Way of the Warrior. If you are into martial arts or Eastern culture I think you’ll love these books. I found I could totally relate to the main character, Jack Fletcher. Like the first book, once I started I just couldn’t put it down. Even when I had homework to do I foun
...more
I just read The Way of the Sword by Chris Bradford. In this epic novel, British samurai-in-training Jack Fletcher struggles with prejudice, ninja, and his rival Kazuki who believes that gaijin, or foreigners, do not belong in Japan. In this installment of the series, Jack also enters the Circle of Three trials. If he passes them, he will be chosen to compete in the three challenges of Mind, Body and Spirit to determine if he is worthy enough to learn the Two Heavens, a legendary technique taught
...more
I love this book. I originally bought this series to encourage my 9 year old to read, when he was devouring book 3 and hungry for more. I though I should take a look. I loved the first book and I loved this book. Chris Bradford perfectly captures the 17th century Japan, the culture, their code of honour and spirit of bushido.
Though Jack struggled in Japan, he has also thrived, now he has the chance to claim even more glory, competing in an even called the circle of the three. Only fi ...more
Though Jack struggled in Japan, he has also thrived, now he has the chance to claim even more glory, competing in an even called the circle of the three. Only fi ...more
3.5 stars
Young Samurai Book 2
*Way of the Sword*
This is the second installment in the juvenile fiction Young Samurai series by Chris Bradford and may I venture to say that it's better than the first book (which was not bad at all). While Way of the Sword may seem a bit alien like stepping in a completely different universe, Way of the Sword completely eradicates that mindset and makes you belong to this series and make it your own. Here, the main story follows a quest of the Three Circles (Fun ...more
*Way of the Sword*
This is the second installment in the juvenile fiction Young Samurai series by Chris Bradford and may I venture to say that it's better than the first book (which was not bad at all). While Way of the Sword may seem a bit alien like stepping in a completely different universe, Way of the Sword completely eradicates that mindset and makes you belong to this series and make it your own. Here, the main story follows a quest of the Three Circles (Fun ...more
Review by my 12 year old brother
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 ...more
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 ...more
Young Samurai The Way of The Sword author Chris Bradford.
This is the second book in the series it is following him learning in the first book the way of the japanese. Now he is progressing in his samurai skills why faced with somebody hunting him for the last thing left of his father and being faced with The Circle of Three. My favorite part in the book was when he faced the challenge of escaping the castle with the kings new security system. They were seeing if it was ninja proof so hey p ...more
This is the second book in the series it is following him learning in the first book the way of the japanese. Now he is progressing in his samurai skills why faced with somebody hunting him for the last thing left of his father and being faced with The Circle of Three. My favorite part in the book was when he faced the challenge of escaping the castle with the kings new security system. They were seeing if it was ninja proof so hey p ...more
LOVED EVERY PART .
I sometimes act like a proud mother while reading this book - Jack-kun is growing up into a great samurai ;( AND YAMADA SENSEI IS JUST SO AWESOME
I sometimes act like a proud mother while reading this book - Jack-kun is growing up into a great samurai ;( AND YAMADA SENSEI IS JUST SO AWESOME
This book is a great follow up to the first book and the plot was great yet again.
Apr 29, 2019
Elaine
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
middle-grade-books
Great sequel, and sets it up for the next book quite well...
I like that this sequel wasn't just more of the same-this one brought out religious persecution and touched upon the tension of being a Christian immersed in a Buddhist culture, and focused more on the battle within each person to persevere and defeat their own fears rather than battles with opponents (although there IS still that, and there IS still bloody violence in parts) as well as learning new skills, like the bo staff, "see ...more
I like that this sequel wasn't just more of the same-this one brought out religious persecution and touched upon the tension of being a Christian immersed in a Buddhist culture, and focused more on the battle within each person to persevere and defeat their own fears rather than battles with opponents (although there IS still that, and there IS still bloody violence in parts) as well as learning new skills, like the bo staff, "see ...more
It's an okay book but it's not my type.
So with this second book of the Young Samurai Series I have to say that it didn't disappoint.
Like with the first one. This book had a lot of information concerning ninjas, samurai, and other aspects of Japanese culture. And also like the first one the story mostly follows Jack in training how to be a samurai. The first part of the book focuses on Jack preparing for an ancient ritual that tests a samurai's courage, skill, and spirit. The next part is Jack and a few other students going thro ...more
Like with the first one. This book had a lot of information concerning ninjas, samurai, and other aspects of Japanese culture. And also like the first one the story mostly follows Jack in training how to be a samurai. The first part of the book focuses on Jack preparing for an ancient ritual that tests a samurai's courage, skill, and spirit. The next part is Jack and a few other students going thro ...more
Jack has spent a year at the Niten Ichi Ryu training as a samurai, but having proven himself to his friends, now he has to prove himself against the ultimate samurai test: the Circle of Three.
The great thing about Chris Bradford’s Young Samurai books is that no matter how much he has told you in the last book or how much you think you have learnt, the next book is jam packed with new lessons and new experiences. Each subsequent book you pick up is like a brand new packet of crisps, b ...more
The great thing about Chris Bradford’s Young Samurai books is that no matter how much he has told you in the last book or how much you think you have learnt, the next book is jam packed with new lessons and new experiences. Each subsequent book you pick up is like a brand new packet of crisps, b ...more
Jul 08, 2012
Marla
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
zz-2012,
back-to-back,
asian,
historical-fiction,
boys,
middle-school,
series,
young-adult,
adventure
This book was about perseverance and making up for your mistakes.
Likes:
* Jack and his friends, Akiko, Yamato and Yuri
* Jack always asks how people are doing, thinking of them first
* Kazuki is such a mean and horrible bully to Jack that I can't stand him, but the character is developed well in order to produce such a dislike in me
* Furoshin - unshakable calm
* Mushin - the samurai state of "no mind" where your sword is part of you and you expect nothing but are ready ...more
Likes:
* Jack and his friends, Akiko, Yamato and Yuri
* Jack always asks how people are doing, thinking of them first
* Kazuki is such a mean and horrible bully to Jack that I can't stand him, but the character is developed well in order to produce such a dislike in me
* Furoshin - unshakable calm
* Mushin - the samurai state of "no mind" where your sword is part of you and you expect nothing but are ready ...more
Feb 25, 2011
Jianne
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
class-library,
fangirl-for
Once again, thumbs up for Chris Bradford's second installment in the Young Samurai's series. A very good job indeed.
My thoughts,
- Once again, it was a great read.
- I love the fighting scenes. They were definitley more intense. Tougher.
- I can really see each character's developments. And indeed, they were more mature here.
- I just adore Jack more and more. He has such a big impact on me. CUTE!!
- I'm loving the Japanese culture more and more.
- The writing is really good, the w ...more
My thoughts,
- Once again, it was a great read.
- I love the fighting scenes. They were definitley more intense. Tougher.
- I can really see each character's developments. And indeed, they were more mature here.
- I just adore Jack more and more. He has such a big impact on me. CUTE!!
- I'm loving the Japanese culture more and more.
- The writing is really good, the w ...more
Jack is an English boy on board his father's ship to Japan when a group of ninjas attacked the ship, the only survivor, Jack. Now in Japan, Jack is learning to be a samurai under the care of the daimyo, Matsumoto-sama. He is determined to keep his father's rutter, a powerful source of information protected and a secret. But will protecting it be a great sacrifice? Will his friends and those around him get hurt?
Young SAMURAI I could not have passed by that book without seeing what it ...more
Young SAMURAI I could not have passed by that book without seeing what it ...more
I've read the first two in the Young Samurai Series. Let me say, first of all, that I enjoyed them. They are young adult books, but they are decent light reading for adults who don't take their martial arts novels too seriously. They are, however, shameless in their cribbing of popular motifs.
The Young Samurai books are what you get when you cross James Clavell's "Shogun" with the Harry Potter novels. See if this sounds familiar: a European stranded in Japan is adopted by a powerful samurai and ...more
The Young Samurai books are what you get when you cross James Clavell's "Shogun" with the Harry Potter novels. See if this sounds familiar: a European stranded in Japan is adopted by a powerful samurai and ...more
Apr 14, 2010
Laura
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
old-reads,
mt-bookpile-2010
At the risk of cliche, this is very much a Japanese version of Harry Potter (with a strong overlay of Shogun). I didn't read the first book, but that didn't seem to matter that much. In the second installment, Jack (an English teen stranded in Japan after the boat he and his father were on is run aground; his father is murdered by the ninja Dragon Eye) is in samurai training school, still feeling his way and trying to find out 1. how he can get home to England and his younger sister Jess and 2. how he can saf
...more
An intelligent, talented boy named Jack. Jack wants to part of this elite training program but is up against a lot of difficult tasks to join the group. So he trains 3 times a day to get in the group. Then he has dreams about meeting his worst enemy Dragon Eye. This book is about helping one another, trusting people and the ability to work hard.
After being shipwrecked, rescued and taught the way of the warrior, he begins the next part of his training, the way of the sword, in which he learns to fight blind-folded with a bō staff, from a newly employed instructor at the academy.
The ending made me a bit curious but I don't think I will read the next book. Maybe I'll just read spoilers to know what's going to happen, and to know what Akiko was up to.
I think this book was very good and would recommend it to any one who likes action and japan!
Jul 28, 2010
Connie
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
I enjoyed this sequel about the English boy Jack continuing his studies at a samurai school in 17th century Japan.
Sep 13, 2017
Denae Christine
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
listened-to
Reader thoughts: Just like the first, I really enjoyed this one. The books have lots of neat details about Japanese culture and martial arts. I might finally sort of understand the difference between a samurai and a ninja.
I love that there are girls training to be samurai, too. Akito is one of my favorite characters. She works hard but isn't rude like a lot of "kick-ass" girl characters. She's just someone who always puts out 100% effort, even when she's standing in a freezing waterfall.
...more
I love that there are girls training to be samurai, too. Akito is one of my favorite characters. She works hard but isn't rude like a lot of "kick-ass" girl characters. She's just someone who always puts out 100% effort, even when she's standing in a freezing waterfall.
...more
I think that the writing in this book was powerful because the characters have to overcome huge barriers and go past their limits. They must be mentally and physically strong, especially Jack , who is being hunted down by one of the most feared ninja. I think that a strength of this book was how well the characters feelings are described. The reader gets a really good idea of how much pain the characters are in, or how happy they are because of all the details. There is also a lot of symbolism i
...more
great book. Before Chris Bradford writes a book he research's the topic to death. He has such a unique style of writing that is not only entertaining but also educational. Watching jack grow in power has been interesting and in this book he he wants to get in the circle of three. At first it doesn't seem like the thing the protagonist would do (wanting to get more power) but in this series it makes sense.
Jun 19, 2017
Patrick
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
young-adult
It was fun. It feels like a YA series. There is a weird juxtaposition about the portrayal of Samurai culture. The author goes back and forth between demonizing it and putting the honor and work aspects on a pedestal. I think it's a hard task to acknowledge the positive and negative aspects, but it seems kind of forced sometimes. The little twist near the end adds some excitement and interest for me to read the 3rd book some time.
Being a martial artist myself, this book inspires me to train more; and of course, it is very motivating towards life. Also, one could absorb values learned by Jack throughout his journey. Akiko's supposedly 'ninja like' secrets really intrigue me. I can't wait to start the next book of Young Samurai.
"Remember, there is no failure except in no longer trying." The book has some pretty good quotes. I also love the storyline -- except that you really need to read the books in order to appreciate the growth of the "gaijin."
It was better than the first one
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Chris Bradford is the bestselling author of the Young Samurai, Ninja and Bodyguard Series.
Chris is renowned for his inspiring author events and ‘method writing’ style. For his award-winning Young Samurai series, he trained in samurai swordmanship, karate, ninjutsu and earned his black belt in Zen Kyu Shin Taijutsu. For his BODYGUARD series, Chris embarked on an intensive close protecti ...more
Chris is renowned for his inspiring author events and ‘method writing’ style. For his award-winning Young Samurai series, he trained in samurai swordmanship, karate, ninjutsu and earned his black belt in Zen Kyu Shin Taijutsu. For his BODYGUARD series, Chris embarked on an intensive close protecti ...more
Other books in the series
Young Samurai
(9 books)
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“Anyone can give up; it is the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would expect you to fall apart, now that is true strength.”
—
288 likes
“Each mistake teaches you something new about yourself. There is no failure, remember, except in no longer trying. It is the courage to continue that counts.”
—
195 likes
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