The Revenge of the Forty-Seven Samurai [Paperback]

Erik C. Haugaard (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

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.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 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
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-12. In feudal Japan, a young servant named Jiro is a witness to destiny when his master, Lord Asano, meets an unjust death through the machinations of a dishonorable man. Out of the 200 samurai who served Lord Asano, 47 would avenge him. Jiro becomes "the fly on the wall" as he serves the samurai's leader, observing with a clear eye the difference between greed and honor. Haugaard has a clear eye of his own, depicting the structure of Japanese life in the fourteenth year of Genroku (1701) under the shogun Tukugawa Tsunayoshi. The story of the 47 samurai 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. Themes of loyalty and honor are the threads that hold the story together as well as the hook that makes the book accessible. Janice Del Negro --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (September 12, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618548963
• ISBN-13: 978-0618548965
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #200,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review, September 5, 2010

By 

Jonathan Kaneshiro "Big Kid" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Revenge of the Forty-Seven Samurai (Hardcover)

Great book. Required for summer reading. Interesting, requires some knowledge of Japanese history, caste system and Samurai hierarchy. Both I and my son enjoyed reading and discussing the book. Appropriate for middle school.

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The revenge of the forty-seven samari, January 12, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Revenge of the Forty-Seven Samurai (Hardcover)

This book was mainly about how a kingdom in Japan which had a lord. However this lord was in a great battle. He lost the war and with losing as a warlord it is a disgrace and they would have to commit the act of seppuku where "they have to their head cut off". With this army losing their lord to another army they are on a long and patient quest to get revenge for their lord.

This book I think was a good book, it could be slow at some times but then something big would happen. The author made you want to stay in it until the end.

Some of the things that were good in this book was when they started to make there move on to the enemy. Out of all the parts the best was the last chapter when they got there revenge for there lord.

But there was some parts that were not so good. There was many parts in the book that were slow and hard to follow. In the first chapter when they got their new lord all it was about was facts about the lord, and people coming to meet this new lord.

So over all the book was farly good , but I do belive some pople would not like it, but others would relly like it.

4 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The revenge of the forty-seven samari, January 12, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Revenge of the Forty-Seven Samurai (Hardcover)

This book was mainly about how a kingdom in Japan which had a lord. However this lord was in a great battle. He lost the war and with losing as a warlord it is a disgrace and they would have to commit the act of seppuku where "they have to their head cut off". With this army losing their lord to another army they are on a long and patient quest to get revenge for their lord.

This book I think was a good book, it could be slow at some times but then something big would happen. The author made you want to stay in it until the end.

Some of the things that were good in this book was when they started to make there move on to the enemy. Out of all the parts the best was the last chapter when they got there revenge for there lord.

But there was some parts that were not so good. There was many parts in the book that were slow and hard to follow. In the first chapter when they got their new lord all it was about was facts about the lord, and people coming to meet this new lord.

So over all the book was farly good , but I do belive some pople would not like it, but others would relly like it.