Spirit of the Ronin

The Ronin Trilogy, Book 3

By: Travis Heermann

Narrated by: David Doersch

Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

In 13th-century Japan, the ronin Ken'ishi's fondest wish has been granted - he has found service with a powerful samurai lord.

But the underworld crime boss known as Green Tiger lurks in the shadows of Lord Tsunetomo's retinue, and Ken'ishi's honor is tested when learns his new master is married to Kazuko, the only woman he has ever loved. His unknown lineage holds dangerous secrets that could destroy him, and his sword, the magical relic called Silver Crane, holds the key to his past...and his future.

With enemies, temptation, and strife assailing him on all sides, Ken'ishi's very soul falls into jeopardy - even as Khubilai Khan's Mongol hordes plot their next attack. Can Ken'ishi defeat Green Tiger, defend his homeland from the barbarian invaders, and remain true to his heart, his lord, and his honor? If you love romance, intrigue and action on an epic scale, don't miss this stunning climax to the Ronin Trilogy.

©2015 Travis Heermann (P)2016 Travis Heermann

War, magic, a love triangle, an evil villain...

Ken’ishi is forced to face his past: his love of Kazuko, the dark secret of his Ronin past and the evil Green Tiger who haunts him still.  He is able to join the ranks of Lord Tsunetomo’s warier, where he rises quickly to samurai and trusted officer.  He is caught in a battle of inner honor between his loyalty to his master and the love of Kazuko, his master’s wife.  Ken’ishi proves his bravery and honor over and over, but still the guilt and doubt remain.  Silver Crane, the magical sword that gives him unmatched strength and skill in battle is slowly claiming his soul, and if he isn’t extremely careful, its blood lust will overwhelm him.

Based in ancient Japan, Spirit of the Ronin, mixes myth and history into a historical fantasy novel.  There is plenty of explanation of the ancient Japanese traditions to keep the listener informed.  War, magic, a love triangle, an evil villain, monsters and much more keep the story moving at a brisk pace.  It is thoroughly entertaining.

David Doersch performs the story with his excellent voice.  Characters are easily discerned and the Japanese pronunciations sound fine to this listener.  He keep the story moving along without getting in the way.  An excellent performance.

If you are interested in ancient Japan, or just enjoy good fantasy, you will likely enjoy this one.  Though it is book three in a trilogy, it can be listened to on its own.  It appears to wrap up the drama at the end, but leaves a sliver of possibility for further sequels.  This listener did not listen to the other books in the series and was not lost in the explanations of past events.  It stands alone.  If you have listened to or read the previous novels, it seems you would definitely want to listen to this one.  Recommended.

Audiobook was purchased for review by the author.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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greatness

I loved this whole trilogy, I heard the first story on librivox, the second one I have as a book, and this one here finished it off. what a great story, totally worth the time to read it, I was only sad that it ended.

vivid

the author has done a great job at painting a vivid portrait of another time and another place. In the story you can feel, smell and taste the world of the samurai. incredible attention to detail, in depth research describing period lifestyles. The commitment and devotion to becoming a samurai warrior is portrayed perfectly.
Great story, action , with a hint of political romance thrown in.
very well done.

What a great Listen!

What made the experience of listening to Spirit of the Ronin the most enjoyable?

The story was very intense and kept the listener wanting more.

What other book might you compare Spirit of the Ronin to and why?

Heart of the Ronin and Sword of the Ronin! What an Epic Trilogy.

What does David Doersch bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

the narrator in my opinion nailed it how he was able to be precise in some of the Japanese pronunciations.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Darkness in plain site. all around you..

Any additional comments?

The series is by far one of the best I've listened to and read. It is highly recommended. The author has done great things and has just won Best Screenplay Horror/Fantasy 2018 for his story Where the Devil Resides. Travis Heermann has the talent to go big!

My review is bias

The final book to one of my favorite trilogies, from one of my favorite authors. Honoring both the spirit of the Samurai and the many other wonders found in ancient Japan, still honored by the modern.

Fantastic adventure with alot of heart!

What did you like about this audiobook?

Samurais, Ronins, princesses, magical creatures and abilities. A hero with a destiny struggling to find his place in a world full of conflict and still holds true to his values.....what's not to love!!?

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

The fantastic adventure that Travis Heerman creates truly inspires you to think about destiny and what defines us as individuals. This book is a great ending to an awesome trilogy.

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

The events and settings Travis Heerman discribes in this book gives you enough imagery to help you imagine this world while allowing you to paint the pictures of this world and its characters to fit your own minds ideas and preferences.

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

The narrator was truly prefound, articulate and moving. Which allowed me to experience the highs and lows these characters go through. You could tell he also was enjoying this book.

Do you have any additional comments?

I love this series. I was fortunate enough to find the first preformed version of book 1, Sword of the Ronin, in podcast form and since that day I have been hooked. This now completes my Ronin collection and I can't wait to see what other imaginative adventures this amazing author comes up with for us.

Excellent!

This narrator was much better than the book 2 narrator. Can you please re-produce the first two wit this narrator?

Can I give more than 5 stars?

When an audio book is good it will have a great story & the perfect narrator. This one had both. I am blown away. Keneeshi's whole life was full of sadness, trauma, war & death. No wonder his spirit drifted so he would become an Onie. Kazicko was his true love. Alas she was not his to have so he became the best Samurai he could be. He was full of knowledge, dedication, discipline and devotion. He fought for truth and freedom. It was no wonder he wanted Kazicko. She was such a lady. Graceful, caring, determined & above all a fighter. Through their turmoil in the story the ending was inevitable. I will be checking more out by this author. A must read!

Better narration than book 2!

The narration is so much better than the previous book. I’m not adept at Japanese so I’m unsure as to their accuracy.

Story was ok, maybe this just isn’t my genre. With the realities of history this series should be reserved for adults.

—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Great end to a great trilogy!

This finishes up the incredible Ronin Trilogy in a manner that is consistent with the whole story. This stories are so wonderful that I sincerely hope and pray that Travis will continue to write further stories with these characters. They are all so well formed that they beg to have more of their stories told. The narrators have been very good, but I still prefer Travis' original narration of the first book in the series.

Thanks for a wonderful series!