Gary Reed and Rick Hoberg, Spirit of the Samurai: Of Swords and Rings

Spirit of the Samurai: Of Swords and Rings

Gary Reed (writer) and Rick Hoberg (illustrator)

Actionopolis, August 2006, $9.95

ISBN: 1933925051

In the Seattle suburbs, Grandfather raised his two grandchildren, fourteen year old David and thirteen year old Kat Anderson, with four simple kind rules on treating and respecting others, and one other, the adult mantra to obey him that that he expects both to follow. However, recently David has been constantly angry at his younger sister, and has even instigated fights, though her martial arts training usually overcomes his brute strength advantage. However, this time he attacks her from behind and it takes Grandfather's intervention to stop him.

When David enters their Grandfather's dojo without permission, Kat follows. He shows her a book that provides the history of Japanese Samurai, especially about two rival clans, the Toho and the Black Rings, that fought one another. Grandfather arrives, but David insists on learning the truth, as he says they are descendants of Toho, and the kid wears three of the four Black Rings that he also found. Finally, David touches the Swords of Toho and Hiro of the Black Rings. Whereas David becomes possessed with evil, his sister touches the Toho sword and becomes the last guardian battling against her sibling, who wants her dead; on her side is Grandfather and Kyosha the Samurai, who has just arrived claiming to be her Father.

Targeting elementary school children, this is an action-packed Samurai fantasy, starring a young female teen whose opponent in a life and death struggle is her older brother. The storyline is filled with action, while illustrations enhance the first-rate plot. David's nastiness comes out before he is possessed, so young readers will root for Kat to defeat him during their sibling battle.