The Dragon Reborn (Book Three, The Wheel of Time)

The battle against the Seanchan has ended. Ba'alzamon, once again, has been defeated, and Rand has finally declared himself the Dragon Reborn. When his small army of Shienarians and Dragonsworn come under attack from Trollocs, Rand slips away into the night, leaving many to wonder to where he disappeared. Not wasting a second, Moirane, along with Lan, Perrin, and Loial, Rand's mentor and friends, leave in search of the missing Lord Dragon. However, Moirane has a hunch as to where Rand has gone, The Stone of Tear, the resting place of the Sa'angreal Callandor. It is written in prophesy that the Dragon shall prove him/herself reborn when the Stone is felled by Callandor. The only problem, Callandor is being held inside the heart of the Stone. Pursued by Darkhounds and Darkfriends, tricks and traps, will the group manage to reach Rand in time, before he gets himself killed, dooming the world to an eternity of misery and suffering. In Tar Valon, seat of Aes Sedai power, Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne are given the task of rooting the dreaded Black Ajah, the supporters of the Dark One in the White Tower, out of Tar Valon. Meanwhile, Mat lies deathly ill, poisoned by the cursed Ruby Dagger. Will the Aes Sedai manage to save him, or will Mat die, leaving Rand with one less ally and one less friend? Find out in The Dragon Reborn.

The Dragon Reborn is one of my favorite novels in the Wheel of Time series (that I have read so far). It is an ensnaring read, filled with plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your chair and up all night.

The Great Hunt (Book Two, The Wheel of Time)

The battle at the Eye of the World is over. Ba'alzamon, Balthamel, and Aginor have been defeated. All, for the moment, seems to be at peace. When the Amyrlin Seat, the leader of the Aes Sedai, comes to the city of Fal Dara, the fragile serenity is broken. The Amyrlin believes that Rand is the Dragon Reborn, the legendary hero destined to destroy the Dark One forever. Rand, however, is skeptical. In his eyes, he is still a farm boy that was whisked away on a strange and miraculous adventure. The situation changes when Trollocs attack Fal Dara, rescuing Padan Fain, a Darkfriend, stealing the Horn of Valere, a mysterious artifact that can raise the dead, and Mat's cursed ruby dagger. After the Trolloc's slaughter of the Shienarians at Fal Dara, Rand, with a group of Shienarian soldiers, Perrin, and Loial, set out to recover the missing artifacts before they are utilized by the Shadow. As time carries on, the situation worsens, the desperate recovery mission soon becomes a matter of the life of a friend, and the fate of the world. Will Rand manage to recover the precious items, or will they arrive too late?

The Great Hunt is an epic of epic proportions! Filled with magic, Trollocs, mystery and suspense, The Great Hunt is sure to ensnare readers of all levels and of all ages (due to its nearly 1,000 pages and  complex language level, this is not necessarily true). To read my review of book one, The Eye of the World, CLICK HERE.

The Way of the Dragon (Book Three, Young Samurai Trilogy)

Japan is in chaos. The Daimyo (Lord) Kamakura, Kazuki's father, has declared war against the Emperor and Christians. Samurai are forced to take sides, including the students of Niten Ichi Ryu. Flung into a bloody conflict, Jack must use all of the skills he knows and has learned to simply stay alive. Now that Dragon Eye has the Rutter, it is imperative that Jack do everything in his power to retrieve it and to stop it from falling further into the wrong hands. With death waiting at every corner, enemies skulking in the streets and Dragon Eye on his tail to eliminate loose ends, Jack must turn to his friends and teachers to defeat Dragon Eye, and Kamakura in this final battle. Amidst the chaos, Jack needs to learn, and perfect, the Two Heavens technique, a deadly form using two swords created by his teacher Masamoto, to slay Dragon Eye once and for all, and to bring peace and justice to all who have broken their vows. Will Kamakura and his soldiers kill them all first, or will Jack finally make it back to England, alive and well?

The Way of the Dragon is filled with action, ninjas, samurai, betrayal, friendship, and hope. This fast paced book is sure to hook fans of the series instantly and ensnare newcomers with it's likable characters and believable environments. I highly recommend this book and this series.

The Way of the Sword (Book Two, Young Samurai Trilogy)

It has been many weeks since his father's murder at the hands of the ninja Dragon Eye. Jack's samurai training is going well, almost well. Jack is still bullied relentlessly by Kazuki, a student at Niten Ichi Ryu, for being a gaijin, an outsider. His Taijitsu teacher, Sensei Kyuzo, obviously hates him and Jack is uncertain when, and where, Dragon Eye will strike next. To add to the pressure, Jack must prepare for the Circle of Three, an ancient contest that tests every skill one might possess, especially the mind. The reward is to train in the Two Heavens technique, the supposedly unstoppable sword style. Jack realizes that he must win the Circle of Three to learn the Two Heavens, and that he must master the Two Heavens if he is to confront, and finally defeat, Dragon Eye. However, Jack must compete against his friends and fellow students, and Kazuki of course. Few will reach the finals, and even fewer will succeed. Does Jack have what it takes to win against his peers, against Kazuki, and against Dragon Eye, or will the infamous ninja obtain the Rutter? Find out in The Way of the Sword!!!

The Way of the Sword is the second book in this trilogy. It is one of my favorites because the characters are beginning to truly take form and come to life. I just found out that Chris Bradford is writing another series based on the Young Samurai Trilogy. I am really exited and can't wait to read it!

The Way of the Warrior (Book One, Young Samurai Trilogy)

The year is 1611. Jack Fletcher is the son of the first mate of the Alexandria. One day, along the Japanese coast, the ship shipwrecks and the crew, along with Jack's Father, are murdered. Jack is the lone survivor. Found by the legendary swordsman, Masamoto Takeshi, Jack is taken in and adopted. When Masamoto's home is attacked by the same assailants that attacked Jack's ship, Masamoto enrolls Jack, along with his son and niece, in the Niten Ichi Ryu, Masamoto's famous school. However, this isn't any kind of school Jack has ever known. The Niten Ichi Ryu is a samurai school where young men, and women, with talent learn the Way of the Warrior. Jack must endure rigorous training with bow, sword, and mind that push him to the limit and test every fiber of his being. Does Jack have what it takes to become a Samurai, or will the lifestyle prove to be too much? When Jack fled the Alexandria, he took with him a very special package, the Rutter. A collection of maps and diagrams of the world's seas so accurate that whomever holds it in their possession can rule the ocean. Jack believes that his father was murdered for this small booklet, but can he prove his assumptions and who will come for it next?

The Way of the Warrior is a fantastic book. It describes 17th century Japanese customs and appearance in great detail. Chris Bradford also included a small glossary of Japanese to English translations which is very helpful when reading this book.

The Eye of the World (Book One, The Wheel of Time)

Rand al'Thor, the son of a farmer, lives in Emond's Field, a town in the Two Rivers region of Andor. The Two Rivers is a peaceful place, filled with people living out their lives mindful of each other, mostly, and no one really ever wants to go off adventuring. His mother died when he was very young and has been raised by his father, Tam, living an otherwise perfectly normal life. That all changes when he sees the black rider. On the evening of Bel Tine, the spring festival, Rand spots a lone black horseman following him. Afraid, Rand compels Tam to turn around to look. Nothing! The rider had disappeared into thin air. Later that night, three visitors arrive in their town. The first is a Gleeman, a traveling performer, of whom word travels fast. The other two are far more mysterious -- a beautiful woman in blue and a burly man in armor, seemingly escorting her. When Emond's Field suddenly comes under attack, the two almost singlehandedly defeat the force. The duo reveal themselves to be Moirane and Lan, an Aes Sedai (basically a mage) and her Warder (protector). Most Two Rivers folk believe that Aes Sedai are servants of the Dark One, the eternal evil, and soon distrust the newcommers. However, Moirane reveals that now is not the time for prejudice. The assailants were creatures known as Trollocs, half man half animal, servants of the Dark One. She believes that the Trollocs, for unknown reasons, were sent to capture Rand and his two friends, Mat and Perrin. She seeks to take them to the city of Tar Valon, seat of Aes Sedai Power, to discover what the Dark One could want with the three. Rand accompanies her with his friends Mat and Perrin.  They are joined by Egwene, Rand's lifelong friend, who demands to come along and the Gleeman, Thom. They set out on a journey that will change Rand's life, and the lives of all around him, forever.

I haven't been this exited about a series for months, maybe even a year. It is everything I search for in a book, action, an ultimate evil, an ancient prophesy, love, magic, and glowing eyes. The Eye of the world was made in 1990 and has been a classic ever since. There are fourteen books in the series. The author, Robert Jordan, died after 11 and Brandon Sanderson wrote the last three. The fourteenth is scheduled to be released in January, 2013.