The 47th Samurai (Bob Lee Swagger Series #4)

Unbelievable!

Not entirely in a good way.

Bob Lee Swagger's (now 60 years old) next mission in this book involves moving to Japan, becoming an expert swordsman in less than a week, and then fighting off six yakuza swordsmen (who have been studying the sword for their entire lives) without so much as breaking a sweat.

Yeah. Sure.

That isn't to say that I didn't like the book. The writing was, in Stephen Hunter's normal fashion, superb. The action sequences were very detailed and kept me on the edge of my seat. I just feel that this should have been a stand-alone novel not centering around the hero that we've grown to love as a marine corps sniper. This book had nothing whatsoever to do with shooting, the jungle, or guns.

It was still a good read, however, and I plan to get the next in the series to see what life holds next for the old sniper.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Surprisingly good

After reading the premise of this book, I was hesitant. Being of Japanese ancestery (2nd generation, Katano Clan), I doubted Mr. Hunter's ability to properly convey the Japanese culture and history involving an item so deeply set in their culture.

I can admit when I was wrong, as I was extremely impressed. He must have had a lot of research involved, and had someone intimately knowledgeable of all things Japanese review this novel, as I could find very few mistakes, and only on minor points. Definitely a page turner, and I finished this book in just over a day. Definitely recomended reading for anyone wishing to know more about Japanese culture and history.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Waste of time

Bob Lee Swagger,is totally unbelievable in this story. If it were listed under Sci/fi Fantasy, or Humor,it might be an acceptable read. Our hero, Bob Swagger, after a few weeks of training in Kendo and Japanese sworsmanship, singlehandsdly defeats six trained swordsman in one battle and then goes on to defeat the greatest, most feared swordsman in Japan, in single combat. If you can accept this, you might enjoy the book because the premise and storyline are good.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Exciting reading!

Again, Stephan Hunter comes through with a "hard to put down" book. Hunter makes the story interesting, exciting, yet believable. This is one that should be made into a movie.

Excellent Highly recommended

This is a great "Guy" book. I stumbled upon this book just this year and could not put it down. Great gift for your guy friend

Now We Know

Now we know what Earl Swagger did to earn his Medal of Honor. Stephen Hunter tells the rest of that story as he sets the stage for Bob Lee's latest adventure set mostly in Japan. Some of the plot elements are a bit of a reach for the 60 year old Bob Swagger but Hunter does it with a style that invites us to suspend skepticism and become absorbed by this tale of the marriage of honor from 2 cultures.
Hunter is a better writer than Lee Child--more literate and allegorical--and the Swagger family is more motivated by a fine tuned sense of right and wrong combined with the ability to perpetrate violence when needed than Reacher. I enjoy reading Hunter. He's an outstanding writer and spins a complicated yarn that draws the reader in and holds on. This book ties up some of the loose ends from previous books featuring the Swaggers. If you've enjoyed previous Hunter books, you'll love the 47th Samurai. If you haven't read Hunter before, start here and then enjoy backtracking into the other stories of the Swaggers from Hunter.

The Hunter Wins

I loved Bob Lee in Point of Impact but I think this story was not needed. It is a good story, entertaining, and a fun read but requires a lot of leaps to accecpt. I just can not believe that He could learn enough on how to use a fighting sword in such a short time to combat those who have spent their whole lives learning the sword culture, history, and techniques.

Bob Lee Swagger series

follows swagger's personna, but is a little over the top....as in not realistic following the swagger skill set
but can't get enough of bob lee

Bob Lee: 60 and Swinging a Sword

Readers of Stephen Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger books have already proven they can suspend belief for a few hundred pages in exchange for an action-packed story. So, if you have read and enjoyed Stephen Hunter's earlier novels featuring Bob Lee Swagger, or his father, Earl Swagger, you will like this book. Swagger's integrity, toughness, and honor are all present in this story.

Swagger goes to Japan in this story, honor-bound to return a samurai sword to the family of the soldier who lost it in a battle to Swagger's father, Earl. Of course, after he arrives, all hell breaks loose and Swagger is forced to go up against a group of men who are schooled in the samurai sword fighting. To do this, Swagger has to be schooled himself, so thank goodness he has kept his 60-year-old body in good shape! But we all know that he's a great specimen, and with his quick hands and ability to concentrate, he is able to come close to par.

Examining too closely the idea of a 60-year-old man leaving his wife and daughter at home to become a samurai may hinder some's ability to swallow this story, but we Swagger fans eat it up like ice cream.

As in all Swagger novels, there is plenty of wise-cracking and lots of gore and blood, and vengeance. So if you aren't fond of gratuitous violence in your books, Swagger books are not for you.

Slice 'em Up!

Blood, guts and gore! I loved it! "47th Samurai" is a snapshot of the darkside of the Japanese culture, where accuracy, focus and precision have carried over into their gangster element (Yakuza) and creates a challenging scenario of an American tough guy vs. samurai bad guys. In spite of conflict against modern day criminals there is honor, blood is shed by knife and sword as the American battles for his revenge on ancient Japanese terms.

I didn't want the book to end!

Bob Lee Swagger is at it again.

Stephen Hunter has created a great character in Bob Lee Swagger. The 47th Samurai is another book that casts the ex-U.S. Marine Corps sniper in a drama of good against evil.

In this story, Bob Lee is getting older but through a series of random events becomes involved in a fight to avenge the death of a friend and former Japanese military officer. At the center of the story is a samurai sword blade that was used by a Japanese officer in World War II against Bob Lee Swagger's father. For reasons best left to the book to explain, everyone wants the blade. It's up to Bob Lee to retrieve the blade and give it to it's rightful owner.

Stephen Hunter does a good job of taking literary license with actual events in World War II and in giving a short but concise history of the Samurai. For those who have enjoyed reading other Bob Lee Swagger novels, this is a must-read. For those who have not read other Bob Lee Swagger novels, this reviewer suggests you start with Hunter's earlier novels to get a history of Bob Lee Swagger. You won't be disappointed with the read if you like action packed thrillers.

I'm a fan of Stephen Hunter, so my review may be skewed in his favor, but I found The 47th Samurai to be entertaining and thrilling. It was a good book to escape into.

Disappointing

I have read and enjoyed the previous six Swagger books. This story takes place in Japan and is full of violence, swords, dismemberment, blood and death. It is an unpleasant, disturbing book and many portions can be skipped. I had looked forward to this book, but found it a hugh disappointment.

All you got...

I'll take all the Bob Lee and Earl Swagger books there are. It's definitely a man's series with all the gun-talk, but I'm an older woman and I love it. I don't read any other books like these, except for Stephen Hunter's other books. Absolutely engrossing. Bob and Earl are both way bigger than life, but still believable.

Not worth the wait

I've loved everything this author has wrote and anticipated this book for some time. I could not have been more dissapointed. Maybe it's my inability to relate to the sword as opposed to firearms. I know it's fiction but when it is not at least believeable, it makes it an effort to be engaged in the story.

I loved it

It captured my interest and was quite accurate when refering to swords and such. A good book

Mr. Hunter does it again!

I enjoyed every aspect of this book. My own history with martial arts, and the military, really pulled me into the story from the beginning. I read this book in one day! I highly recommend it!

silly

50 year old learns sword fighting in 2 weeks with a bad hip just plan silly waste of time and money

Bob The Nailer Becomes Swagger The Samurai

The plot lines for Stephen Hunter¿s latest Bob Lee Swagger novel have been adequately explored here already. My take on the ¿47thSamurai¿ will seem as equally mixed as many of Hunter¿s other readers/reviewers. I anxiously await each Swagger novel knowing I will be treated to literate writing that does not talk down to the reader as well as intricate detail on plot, family issues, personal codes of bravery, and most especially, on shooting paraphernalia and procedures. Certainly, this novel more fully explored the historical and psychological ties between Bob Lee and his father Earl: clearly, the impetus to the entire novel is their brief but life changing life together. Less explored was the apparent disintegration or at least aimless drifting of Bob¿s marriage to Julie(which at one time was his overriding passion). Hunter continues to write in an engaging literate style that often catches the reader in a rollercoaster style pace of excitement and commitment to the next chapter. Swagger¿s personal code of justice and life (a strange mixture of mountain values, machismo, self reliance, nobility, and honor) plays well in the Japanese world of bushido and samurai. His commitment to the central theme of this novel, finding and returning the sword his father brought home from the war to its rightful owner, is solely motivated by this Swagger Code. I do agree with other reviewers that we are asked to do some severe ¿suspension of disbelief¿ in several plotlines, most notably a 60 year-old Swagger becoming a dangerous swordsman after one week of practice with a master. I found myself thinking outside Hunter¿s box and wanting Swagger to pull out his rifle and use his warrior skills against those of the Yakuza. Or in the final showdown with Kando (perhaps the greatest swordsman in Japan), I would have loved Swagger to enter the killing area, confront Kando (like Clint Eastwood in a spaghetti western), pull out a .45¿and dispense ultimate justice. Ahhh, now that would have been a creative ending¿but certainly a violation of the Swagger Code.

Stopped mid-way through

I guess the Bob Lee Swagger who was in the previous books was a different person. His innate practicality as well as the sense of honor made him who he was. Now his sense of honor turns him into a born-again Samurai who will defeat highly trained swordsmen, a Westerner in Japan who has little trouble functioning without knowing the language, etc. After 23 chapters I just decided it was a waste of time. Perhaps the movie version of 'Point of Impact' 'Shooter' has convinced Mr. Hunter that Bob Lee is a superman, not an everyman, and he really wants to get some more movie money in his pocket.

Hunter Does it Again!

After reading the Swagger series, I have come to love the books and the wonderful writing Mr. Hunter is known for. The idea of taking a character whose weapon of choice has always been the bullet and having him make the painful switch to Japanese steel, is sheer brilliance. I also thought that the writing would not be to the same high standard I have held Mr.Hunter to since reading 'Point of Impact', but I was wrong again. I sincerely, from the cockles of my heart recommend this title, 'Because the one man you want in your corner when the times get tough, is GunnerySgt'ret'. Bob Lee Swagger.