The historical time of the Samurai has always been a favorite of mine.About thirty-five years ago I studied a form of martial arts. I studied Eishin Ryu Iaido for a few years in Southern California.
Without being taught his history I was familiar, through my studies, with the name of Miyamoto Musashi.
Mr. Kirk uses the western form of name presentation; given name/ family name in his book. Although not an impediment to my enjoyment of this book, it never ceased to sound wrong to my ear to have the main character referred to as Musashi Miyamoto instead of the reverse as I learned of him. Kirk does explain this in the intro to Sword of Honor so it can't be counted a error.
This book is great! The glimpse into medieval Japanese society is interesting.
Without spoiling the story, Musashi is opposed to the Way, Bushido, the subservience of the Samurai to a Lord. This book is fiction, so I can't attest to any historical accuracy related to Musashi's thoughts or actions. The story is exciting and heart-wrenching at the same time. There are several characters forced to deal with self-doubt about how they fit into their world. This makes the story more believable to me, and the various characters more sympathetic.
Sword of Honor is at once a story of self-discovery, love, compassion, and cultural evolution, set in a time when personal freedom did not exist. There is plenty of action for those interested in sword fighting. The author does a good job of describing how the katana is used in combat.
The copy I was given is a bound galley, so I assume the few typos I encountered either have or will soon be corrected.
Sword of Honor will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the time period, the culture of medieval Japan, or just coming of age stories. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I think you will too. Enjoy!
Mike
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