Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior
Encyclopedia
Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior is a children's historical novel by Chris Bradford
, published in 2008. It is the first in a series of action-adventure stories set in 17th century Japan
following the exploits of an English boy, Jack Fletcher, as he strives to be the first gaijin
samurai
.
Young Samurai
has been described as a 'Black Belt' Young Bond
, Artemis Fowl
with Swords and Percy Jackson with Ninja. Three sequels are planned: Young Samurai: The Way of the Sword
(2009), Young Samurai: The Way of the Dragon (2010) and Young Samurai: The Ring of Earth (2010)
(which they believe at the time to be wokou
, Japanese pirates). Only Jack survives and his father leaves him with his prized possession, a rutter (a precursor to the modern navigation chart).
Jack is rescued by legendary samurai
swordsman Masamoto Takeshi who decides to adopt him until he is old enough(16), which makes Masamoto's son Yamato envious. Jack discovers that the leader of the ninja was known as Dokugan Ryu (Dragon Eye) through Masamoto following Jack's description of his distinctive solitary green eye. Yamato and Jack engage in heated sparring with their bokken
After defeating a ninja in another attack, Masamoto enrolls him in his samurai school in Kyoto
, the Niten Ichi-ryu to train as a samurai.
Jack develops a strong relationship with a girl, Date Akiko. At the same time, Jack is singled out by Oda Kazuki and his friends who bully him on the basis of being a gaijin
(a derogatory term for a foreigner). Jack is generally disliked until he wins a taryu-jiai tournament against a rival school, which earns him Yamato's respect.
During a festival, Jack, Akiko and Yamato discover Dokugan Ryu attempting to assassinate Takatomi Hideaki, daimyo
of Kyoto province. They manage to make him flee and are rewarded by Takatomi and Masamoto.
Chris Bradford
Chris Bradford is an author, professional musician and black belt martial artist, best known for his children's fictional series, Young Samurai.The first Young Samurai book, The Way of the Warrior, was published by Puffin Books in 2008...
, published in 2008. It is the first in a series of action-adventure stories set in 17th century Japan
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
following the exploits of an English boy, Jack Fletcher, as he strives to be the first gaijin
Gaijin
is a Japanese word meaning "non-Japanese", or "alien". This word is a short form of gaikokujin , which literally means "person from outside of the country". The word is composed of two kanji: , meaning "outside"; and , meaning "person". Thus, the word technically means "outsider"...
samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
.
Young Samurai
Young Samurai
Young Samurai is a series of action-adventure stories written by Chris Bradford. It is set in 17th century Japan following the exploits of an English boy, Jack Fletcher, as he strives to be the first gaijin samurai....
has been described as a 'Black Belt' Young Bond
Young Bond
Young Bond is a series of five young adult spy novels by Charlie Higson featuring Ian Fleming's secret agent James Bond as a young teenage boy attending school at Eton College in the 1930s...
, Artemis Fowl
Artemis Fowl (series)
Artemis Fowl is a series of fantasy novels written by Irish author Eoin Colfer and all the books are best sellers, starring the teenage criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl II. The author summed up the series as: "Die Hard with fairies." There are seven novels in the series; the first was published in...
with Swords and Percy Jackson with Ninja. Three sequels are planned: Young Samurai: The Way of the Sword
Young Samurai: The Way of the Sword
Young Samurai: The Way of the Sword is a children's historical novel by Chris Bradford, published in 2009. It is the second in a series of action-adventure stories set in 17th century Japan following the exploits of an English boy, Jack Fletcher, as he strives to be the first gaijin samurai.Young...
(2009), Young Samurai: The Way of the Dragon (2010) and Young Samurai: The Ring of Earth (2010)
Plot summary
Jack Fletcher, a 12-year-old English boy, is sailing with his father and his crew in search of the legendary Japanese islands. The group are shipwrecked off the coast of Japan in 1611 in a village named Toba, whereupon the crew are attacked by a ninjaNinja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
(which they believe at the time to be wokou
Wokou
Wokou , which literally translates as "Japanese pirates" in English, were pirates of varying origins who raided the coastlines of China and Korea from the 13th century onwards...
, Japanese pirates). Only Jack survives and his father leaves him with his prized possession, a rutter (a precursor to the modern navigation chart).
Jack is rescued by legendary samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
swordsman Masamoto Takeshi who decides to adopt him until he is old enough(16), which makes Masamoto's son Yamato envious. Jack discovers that the leader of the ninja was known as Dokugan Ryu (Dragon Eye) through Masamoto following Jack's description of his distinctive solitary green eye. Yamato and Jack engage in heated sparring with their bokken
Bokken
A bokken , "wood", and ken, "sword") , is a Japanese wooden sword used for training. It is usually the size and shape of a katana, but is sometimes shaped like other swords, such as the wakizashi and tantō...
After defeating a ninja in another attack, Masamoto enrolls him in his samurai school in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, the Niten Ichi-ryu to train as a samurai.
Jack develops a strong relationship with a girl, Date Akiko. At the same time, Jack is singled out by Oda Kazuki and his friends who bully him on the basis of being a gaijin
Gaijin
is a Japanese word meaning "non-Japanese", or "alien". This word is a short form of gaikokujin , which literally means "person from outside of the country". The word is composed of two kanji: , meaning "outside"; and , meaning "person". Thus, the word technically means "outsider"...
(a derogatory term for a foreigner). Jack is generally disliked until he wins a taryu-jiai tournament against a rival school, which earns him Yamato's respect.
During a festival, Jack, Akiko and Yamato discover Dokugan Ryu attempting to assassinate Takatomi Hideaki, daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of Kyoto province. They manage to make him flee and are rewarded by Takatomi and Masamoto.
Characters
- Jack Fletcher – hero of the Young Samurai series
- John Fletcher – father of Jack Fletcher, Pilot aboard the Alexandria, murdered by Dokugan Ryu
- Date Akiko – daughter of Dāte Hiroko and niece of Masamoto
- Masamoto Yamato – second son of Masamoto Takeshi
- Masamoto Takeshi – samurai swordmaster and founder of the Niten Ichi-ryū school
- Dokugan Ryu – Dragon Eye, one-eyed ninja and Jack's sworn enemy
- Father Lucius – Portuguese Jesuit Priest
- Sensei Hosokawa – senseiSensei' is a Japanese word that basically means "person born before another." In general usage, it means "master" or "teacher," and the word is used as a title to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers, CPA and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authority...
of KenjutsuKenjutsu, meaning "the method, or technique, of the sword." This is opposed to kendo, which means the way of the sword. Kenjutsu is the umbrella term for all traditional schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration... - Kamakura Katsuro – daimyoDaimyois a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of Edo (Tokyo) and founder of the Yagyu school - Oda Kazuki – student rival of Jack
- Sensei Kyuzo – sensei of Taijutsu
- Saburo – the talkative friend of Jack
- Takatomi Hideaki – daimyo of Kyoto and governs Japan on behalf of the Emperor
- Masamoto Tenno – first son of Masamoto Takeshi, murdered by Dokugan Ryu
- Sensei Yamada – sensei of Zen
- Yori – the quiet, mouse-like friend of Jack
- Sensei Yosa – sensei of Kyujutsu - female
- Kiku – student at the Niten Ichi-Ryū and friend of Akiko. Daughter of a Zen priest.
- Emi – daimyo Takatomi's daughter, student at the Niten Ichi-Ryū.
- Moriko – Kazuki's girlfriend, Student at Yagyu Ryu.
- Raiden – Kazuki's cousin, student at Yagyu Ryu
- Toru – Raiden's twin brother, student at Yagyu Ryu
- Nobu – friend of Kazuki
- Hiroto – friend of Kazuki
- Goro – friend of Kazuki
- Taka-san – samurai warrior in service of Hiroko
- Uekiya – gardener to the Dāte family
- Jiro – Akiko's little brother
- Dāte Hiroko – Akiko’s mother and sister of Masamoto.
- Chiro - maid to Hiroko, deceased.