The Revenge of the Forty-Seven Samurai

by Erik C. Haugaard

Overview

In the time when the Shogun ruled Japan, two hundred samurai suffered a grave insult—their master met an unjust death. Forty-seven of them are courageous enough to avenge him. Jiro is a lowly servant to one of the brave samurai. Chosen as his master’s unlikely spy during the planning of the great revenge, Jiro must learn when to talk and when to listen, or at any moment he could lose his head to a samurai’s razor-sharp sword. And even as Jiro plays his small part in the unfolding plot, he searches for the truth about his own identity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780618548965
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/12/2005
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	844,030
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 7.62(h) x (d)
Age Range:	10 - 12 Years

About the Author

Erik Haugaard was born in Denmark and has traveled extensively in the United States, Italy, Spain, and Japan. Called "a writer gifted in the art of the storyteller" by the BOSTON GLOBE, he is internationally known for his accomplishments as a playwright, poet, and translator. He has won critical acclaim for his books for young readers, including A BOY'S WILL, THE UNTOLD TALE, and CROMWELL'S BOY.

Editorial Reviews

"The story. . . is a true one, based on a historical event still commemorated in Japan. The characterizations are memorable, and the fabric of daily life, woven so carefully into the tale, is easily absorbed." Booklist, ALA —

From the Publisher

Sixteenth-century Japan: Lord Asano, a samurai master, is unjustly killed. His 200 samurai are bound by their code to avenge him, but only 45 brave warriors rise to occasion. In this gripping historical novel, 14-year-old servant boy Jiro spies for his master as the samurai plot the great revenge.

Gr 7-12-Jiro, a servant in 18th-century Japan, relates the revenge his master and 46 others take on the man who caused their lord's death. Along the way, Jiro discovers the secret of his parentage and determines what career he is to follow. Haugaard's story is long-winded and tediously slow, with numerous digressions, much philosophizing, and annoying repetition. Despite an introductory preface and list of characters, the book is often confusing. Many terms aren't defined in context, and there is no glossary or pronunciation guide. The bright, intriguing cover and catchy title will probably attract readers, but few will endure past the preliminary chapters. Katherine Paterson does a superior job evoking 18th-century Japan in The Master Puppeteer (Crowell, 1976), which tells of another Jiro, a puppeteer's apprentice, in a gripping, well-written story. For an exciting samurai adventure, use Lensey Namioka's fast-moving series featuring Zenta and Matsuzo, including Island of Ogres (HarperCollins, 1989). Haugaard's The Samurai's Tale (Houghton, 1984), though more subdued than these other titles, is also preferable to his newest offering.-Ann W. Moore, Guilderland Public Library, NY

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