A fateful duel makes him an outlaw...... and a demon turns him into a hero.Thus begins Ken'ishi's epic journey to discover his past and find service with a worthy master.Amid ruthless crime lords, capricious spirits, and Mongol spies, Ken'ishi is an orphan and a ronin, a samurai without a master, tossed on the waves of fate and fortune.His only link to his past is Silver Crane, his father's sword, a blade that holds its secrets close... Such as the secret of Ken'ishi's bloodline.But when he meets the woman of his dreams, he might just discover that his dreams are actually nightmares.
Fantasy writer Travis Heermann (The Ivory Star) brings thirteenth-century Japan to life in Heart of the Ronin, the first installment of a trilogy. Ken'ishi is just seventeen years old at the time of his parents' mysterious death. He dreams of someday training with a master who will help him become a samurai. Traveling with Silver Crane, a sword that belonged to his father, and a dog named Akao, Ken'ishi begins his adventure after he defeats a policeman in a duel and must flee. Just when he thinks he has escaped trouble, he saves Kazuko, the daughter of an influential lord, from a group of bandits. On their journey home, they fall in love, only to discover upon their return that she has been promised to a powerful samurai lord. Forced to flee once again, he goes on a hunt to discover his past while fighting off warriors and demons, never forgetting that there is a bounty on his head. Will he find out if his father really was a samurai-and why the sword he wields seems to be infused with magic? Written while the author lived in Japan, Heart of the Ronin combines historical fiction with fantasy to keep readers guessing what Ken'ishi will encounter next in Heerman's mystical universe. Publishers Weekly says it best: "Numerous tantalizingly unresolved plot threads will have readers anxiously awaiting the second installment in this gripping tale of ill-fated love, betrayal and destiny." Travis Heermann grew up in the countryside of Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln with a BS in electrical engineering. In 2003, he shifted careers and moved to Fukuoka, Japan, to teach English to young students in public schools. Amazon.com called his first novel, The Ivory Star, "a must have for every sci-fi reader." Soon afterward, Heermann immersed himself in Japanese culture and history and combined his passion for folklore and fantasy literature. The result is Heart of the Ronin, a tale of a teenage warrior in thirteenth-century Japan, and the first volume in the Ronin Trilogy. On Ronin Writer (travisheermann.com/blog), Heermann's blog about the writing life, he posts an ongoing series of in-depth interviews with authors in a variety of genres.
After saving the life of a Japanese lord's daughter in thirteenth-century Japan, Ken'ishi, a masterless samarai, finds himself pursued by assassins and mythical monsters as he searches for answers about his past.
The King is dead, and so are his sons. All except one. Matthew, son of King Turin, nephew of the newly appointed steward Janus, comes to terms with his father's death, realizing that there might be more to the story than he previously thought. Matthew gives up his right to the throne, and sets out on a quest to find those he believed long dead, the entire time guided by a mysterious lamb. Bloodline is a story of love, friendship, and the pursuit to unite a kingdom.
In 13th-Century Japan, a land of ancient spirits, shapeshifting animals, and demons, Ken'ishi is a warrior without a master. Orphaned in infancy, he has only one link to his past - Silver Crane, his father's sword. When Silver Crane is stolen, Ken'ishi must go on a quest to recover his very identity. The crime lord known as Green Tiger holds the key to Ken'ishi's past. With intrigues stretching to China, where the Mongol emperor Khubiliai Khan builds an invasion fleet, Green Tiger knows of Silver Crane and dreams of the day when he can destroy the shogunate and restore his shattered clan. With a wooden sword as his only weapon, Ken'ishi descends into the shadowy world of flesh houses, Chinese smugglers, and Mongol spies. To succeed and unleash Silver Crane's power, he must face the darkness in his own soul. "From the first sentence, Travis Heermann weaves a tale that sucked this reader into a rich Japanese tapestry full of ronin, samurai, and magic. It was hard to put this book down to sleep." - Patrick Hester, Hugo-Award Winning SFSignal.com and the Functional Nerds Podcast "Travis Heermann takes everything I loved about Heart of the Ronin (adventure, intrigue, sympathetic characters), puts it in a pressure cooker and serves it with a side of Awesome. Sword of the Ronin is his best novel yet and won't disappoint." - Shaun Farrell, Adventures in Sci-Fi Publishing "Sword of the Ronin is a raw and energetic adventure that explores deep and eternal themes such as honor, love, and betrayal while maintaining a engaging, humorous, living world. It also has an awesome ronin hero who hacks lots of bad people to bits, if you're into that sort of thing. Which you definitely should be." - Rich Wulf, author of The Heirs of Ash Trilogy "A rich, engaging, morally complex historical fantasy, deeply embedded in Japanese culture." - E.C. Ambrose, author of Elisha Barber, The Dark Apostle series "Those interested in Japan's culture and history, including ancient mythology will find this book an extraordinary read. It is certainly not a story for the fainthearted, but which touches you with its truth-drawing and starkly poignant meaning. As a work of fantasy I enjoyed it very much, although at times it did cause shivers to run down my spine and turned my blood cold." - Goodreads Reviewer
A novelization based on the film starring Keanu Reeves from legendary author Joan D. Vinge. From ancient Japan's most enduring tale, the epic 3D fantasy-adventure 47 Ronin is born. Keanu Reeves leads the cast as Kai, an outcast who joins Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), the leader of the 47 Ronin. Together they seek vengeance upon the treacherous overlord who killed their master and banished their kind. To restore honor to their homeland, the warriors embark upon a quest that challenges them with a series of trials that would destroy ordinary warriors. 47 Ronin is helmed by visionary director Carl Erik Rinsch (The Gift). Inspired by styles as diverse as Miyazaki and Hokusai, Rinsch will bring to life the stunning landscapes and enormous battles that will display the timeless Ronin story to global audiences in a way that's never been seen before. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Sometimes sacrificing your heart isn't enough. Lily escapes with Salem and Destino to shifter territory, where deception lurks around every corner. With the Queen of Jacoba unable to rule, too much responsibility falls to Lily, who realizes she will never be the princess the shifters want. However, she quickly learns that she might just be the ruler they need. Mating with Prince Salem wasn't in the plan, but now that Lily's fallen for him, her marriages to Prince Destino and Prince Alexavier are put to the test. Sharing seemed like a good idea in the beginning, but when passions run high and the stakes are higher, the Territorial Princes have to decide if they want Lily for themselves or peace for the nation. One-Click book three in this fantasy romance series written by USA Today Bestselling Author Mary E. Twomey today! Google Keywords: Paranormal Royal Romance, paranormal romance, fantasy romance, vampire romance, shifter romance, reverse harem romance, dystopian fiction
The Way Of The Ronin shows how to be self-mastering and excellent, like a warrior, and how to ride the waves of change. Roni were free samurai or wave-men who learned to thrive on change and lead Japan out of feudalism into the modern world. (Philosophy)
