The Samurai's Tale [Paperback]

Erik C. Haugaard (Author)

Book Description

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

When the powerful Lord Takeda’s soldiers sweep across the countryside, killing and plundering, they spare the boy Taro’s life and take him along with them. Taro becomes a servant in the household of the noble Lord Akiyama, where he meets Togan, a cook, who teaches Taro and makes his new life bearable. But when Togan is murdered, Taro’s life takes a new direction: He will become a samurai, and redeem the family legacy that has been stolen from him.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A riveting tale for teens who like adventure infused with an ancient historical flavor." Booklist, ALA

“To enter THE SAMURAI'S TALE is to immerse oneself completely in sixteenth-century Japan, when powerful warlords struggled for supremacy. Seldom does a historical novel evoke the mood, color, and soul of an era as skillfully as this one does. . . .THE SAMURAI'S TALE, poetic yet unflinching, is excellent.” Boston Herald

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (September 12, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618615121
• ISBN-13: 978-0618615124
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > General
  • #38 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > History & Historical Fiction > Historical Fiction

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A window into a different time and place., May 6, 2000

By 

Margaret Fiore - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Samurai's Tale (Paperback)

This is a beautifully written tale of the life of the orphaned son of a samurai. It is filled with the dramatic changes of fortune that are commonplace in times of war, and imbued with the alien values and atmosphere of ancient Japan.

In the space of a day, the petted son of a noble samurai loses not only his family, but all his status. Rather than being killed with the rest, he unintentionally charms a samurai of the lord who killed his father and family, and is allowed to live - as a servant. Throughout his life, the boy seeks to return to the heights from which he descended. He meets wonderful friends, and learns many hard lessons - always in a state of war, or on the edge of it.

This is an excellent tale, filled with adventure and contemplation both. As is obvious by the schoolkids reviews on this site, it is not necessarily for the average child. But an intelligent kid, who is a good reader, and capable of understanding the differences between cultures, will enjoy this coming-of-age adventure.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for Teens, December 12, 2000

By 

Robert (Glendale, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Samurai's Tale (School & Library Binding)

I found this book to be a beautifully written tale of the life of an orphaned son of a samurai. One of the aspects I enjoyed the most about Erik Haugaard's Samurai's Tale is that the novel's story line is deeply sub-merged in war, friendship, love and death. I especially liked all of the various morals found within the novel's text. For example, one of the morals was "no one wins a war, just one side losses less." There were also dramatic changes of fortune that are common place in time of war, such as death. This is an excellent adventure book because of its enormous amount of suspense, that is the main reason why I like this novel so much. For example there is one scene where 10,000 samurai charge an enemies castle, the author does an exquisite job on making you want to find out what happens next. Erik Haugaard's novel does an excellent job of exposing its readers to the lives and culture of the upper classes of ancient Japan. This novel offers a window to the alien values and atmosphere of ancient Japan.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine Juvenile Novel, July 13, 2001

By 

R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Samurai's Tale (Paperback)

This very well written novel is set at the beginning of the period that saw the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate. There is an excellent and unsentimental depiction of feudal life and the often horrifying warfare of that period. Haugard is able to make his characters sympathetic without sacrificing their historical reality. As with many fine juvenile novels, the maturation of the main character is a central element. In this book, the concept of loyalty and the conflicts between feudal loyalty and family loyalty are important themes. Recommended strongly for early teens.