Child of Vengeance by David Kirk
David Kirk , Historical , News , Simon & Schuster / February 15, 2013

Scholar. Warrior. Samurai. His name was Bennosuke, son of the great Munisai Shinmen, known throughout the empire as one of the greatest warriors who ever lived. His destiny was to become a great warrior like his father – a Samurai, one of the most feared and respected in the world. But before fame comes action, and Bennosuke must prove himself on the battlefield before he can claim his inheritance. And in his way stands the vengeful Kensaku, son of Lord Nakata, the face of the enemy, a man who is determined to kill Bennosuke. It is a battle between honour and vengeance, pride and reputation. And Bennosuke must look death in the eye before he can call himself a warrior. Before he can call himself Musashi, the greatest warrior of all time… I have an interest in the Far East and particularly in stories that delve into the region’s turbulent past. Strangely, the one time period I have always had a little difficulty with is feudal-era Japan. From a fiction standpoint, I’ve tried to read Shogun by James Clavell on more than one occasion and I’ve always ended up getting bogged down by the hugeness of it all. The massive…