KIAI! Suddenly out of the darkness of midnight, you are struck by a shuriken, one of the ninja’s deadliest weapons, and the pain automatically kicks in not giving a second to spare. Lucky for you, they missed. Two centimeters to the right, and it would’ve struck your heart. But wait!... poison?! As you slowly collapse, you curse the entire ninja race for their treachery. The last moments of your life are spent staring your killer in the eyes; eyes so dark and evil, still trying to figure out who that could b- KIAI!

As the first novel in the series, The Way of the Warrior introduces the story of Jack Fletcher, on board a ship to the mysterious land of Japan. As the captain calls, “LAND HOOO!” Jack catches a shiny silver blade at the corner of his eye. Suddenly, the twelve-year old boy witnesses his father and fellow crewmembers being mercilessly slaughtered by ninja marauders. From there he jumps off and frantically swims ashore, soon rescued by legendary sword master Masamoto Takeshi. Takeshi offers Jack to train to become a warrior to avenge his father. The boy sees no other option, and with his newfound hatred and bitterness towards the ninjas, he joins Takeshi and begins his journey as a warrior- a Samurai warrior.

As the months progress, Jack finds his new life isn’t easy, not one bit. Learning new language, customs, protocol, and trying to fit in aren’t just a piece of cake. Jack even goes by a new nickname, “Gaijin” which is a derogatory word for “foreigner”. He eventually makes a new friend, a beautiful girl named Akiko. She feels for Jack as the older boys get their thrills out of teasing the newcomer. His skills with a sword need much improvement if he still plans on carrying out his duty as a warrior. With all the courage he can muster, Jack is confident on proving himself worthy. What will happen when Jack pushes himself past his limits and does the impossible? What will he discover when the murderer of his father, Dragon Eye, tells him of a hidden secret shared only between the two of them? And will he fall in love with Akiko, avenge his father, and make Master Masamoto Takeshi proud?

There’s only one way to find out! Read Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior to enjoy the mixture of adventure, action, samurai, and Feudal Japan all in one!