Comments on: 2007 – The 47th Samurai

By: Mike Treece

Mike Treece — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:05:24 +0000

This was the first Hunter novel I’ve read. It was great! I want to read all the others. What is the easist way for me to get them?

By: Chris McGarry

Chris McGarry — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:03:44 +0000

What an engrossing read. I must say it was a bit of a departure for Bob to go to Japan and end up using more hand – to – hand and swordsmanship skills than his traditional sniping methods. But it really held my interest throughout. I have been a writer for the past six years or so and recently got my first novel published, an action thriller titled Unforeseen Fury.

By: Mike Ilkenhons

Mike Ilkenhons — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:24:09 +0000

Like a lot of readers, I found Stephen Hunter by first seeing “Shooter”. Then I was given a book by my son entitled “The 47th Samuri”. I studied martial arts, always fascinated by historical value of the swords, but never pursued the practice. In order to understand the depth of this novel, you have to understand the mind set of the Japanese and the spiritual attachment they have to honor, violent honor, and the similarity to the nature of Swaggert. I read the book straight through at one sitting. It made no sense to do anything but read the story and meditate on all the nuances later after I had the whole picture of the events and the ultimate goal. Swaggert fit my ideal Marine Sniper image… and matched right up with my samuri research. If you were disappointed with the story as weak, you missed the real intent of the novel. This was more than entertainment. It brought out the very nature of what it would be like if a 18th century samuri was transported to today and found himself dealing with the same honor issues he left behind. Death was only one option, but not until all his skills had been exhausted. Great novel.

By: Gord Horton

Gord Horton — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:39:18 +0000

I have to agree with those who say this is among the weakest of his works. He spends far too much time on sword technology. Strange terms to start with, he keeps repeating them, as if we are to memorize them as his character did. I felt like I was reading Clancy or Melville. There just was not that much here. Compared to a masterpiece like Pale Horse Coming it, well, pales.

By: Susie Carter

Susie Carter — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:22:56 +0000

I think Stephen Hunter is an amazing writer. I interview men contantly for my magazine (AlaskaMen) and I see little bits of the men he writes about in his novels in the men I write about. My favorite is the 47th Samuari, must be a past life thing. Inspired me to pass on my sword and the book to my son who is a former military man. I hope he writes more in that line with the 47th. I read it in two days and wished there had been more. Thank you for hanging in there for Mr. Hunter.
Susie
President, AlaskaMen Magazine

By: Martin de Munck

Martin de Munck — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:32:07 +0000

Had seen The Shooter allready two times and found it a very good film. Two weeks ago I bought The 47th Samurai and finished it in 5 days. WOW ! It grabbed me from the start. He uses the right names for the slashes when cutting the sword. The right terms for describing all the elements of the swords. Very, very good fieldwork! I will recommend it with my fellowstudents in our dojo where we practice Japanese swordfighting in the style of Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu (550 year old swordfighting art). Offcourse I now bought the other books from SH in Dutch. Now reading Dirty White Boys and sometimes I get the creeps! Stephen, you are on the topshelf of my bookrack!

By: jim mawhinney

jim mawhinney — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 21:37:06 +0000

Dear sir. I recently received a copy of this book from a friend who thought I may be interested in reading it as I have an extensive knowledge of the martial arts.
I indeed enjoyed reading the book and found it interesting as I trained in Japan and was able to relate to the place names mentioned as I have been to most of them.
I did find a couple of Typo’s which I am sure you have been notified of but here goes 1 the description of the 4 ft. staff which was referred to as a “Bo” which is a 6ft staff. The 4 ft staff used in Aikido is a “Jo”
secondly there was a reference to tying up the sleeves of the Hakama with the Sageo with a figure 8 loop. The top worn in which the sleeves need to be tied for sword work is a Keikogi The Hakama are the skirt like pants worn by practitioners of certain martial arts as well as for formal wear.
Overall this was a very enjoyable book to read and I did enjoy it. thanks Jim

By: downsize

downsize — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 21:39:38 +0000

I have read everyone of Stephen Hunter’s books, and love them all. I personally feel Point of Impact is his best. For some reason, I chose for years to not read The 47th Samauri … I was foolishly rebelling at the thought of Bob Lee without a gun in his hands. Big Mistake ! Samurai just blew me away completely.
There is only one other book, by one other author that I place on a pedestal as high as Mr. Hunters books, and that is Black Cross by Greg Iles. If you haven’t read it, you should !

By: M Merry

M Merry — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 02:54:31 +0000

I have read (several times) the Bob Lee and Earl series. I will admit that I have read the 47th Samurai far fewer times than many others. Does it strain credulity that Bob is using a katana rather than a .45 or a .308? Yes. Others have raised similar credulity issues with Pale Horse Coming. I think you have to do two thinks – look at the stories in the context of what they are (besides Earl and Bob stories). Pale horse coming is, at it’s heart, a western, and subject to some of the conventions of the genre. The 47th Samurai is, at it’s heart, a samurai tale. Doug R, above, makes an amazing point that is perfectly in line with that genre. Yes, Mr. Hunter is using characters that have become very dear to us at the heart of these tales, and the use of the 7 against Thebes is arguably more credible, but there iss something to be said for just enjoying the tale, warts, holes, improbable leaps and all that the author tells. And let’s face it – if there was any 60 year old in the early part of the new millenium that could pull it off, it’s Bob.

And for what it’s worth, I had been reading Point of Impact since 95, and was also hesitant to see the story retold with Marky Mark – no disrepect to his abilities intended, I enjoy his acting ususally. Based upon the framework in which the story was reworked for movie, it was pretty good. I also happen to be a Tom Clancy fan, and have become used to taking the movie on it’s own merits, and not endlessly comparing it to the book. The same theory really applies – take it for what it is, and look at the story you are being told, and judge it on it’s merits.

By: R. Stephens

R. Stephens — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:10:28 +0000

The 47th Samuari was my first book by Mr. Hunter. WOW!!! Since reading it a few weeks back, I have read Master Sniper and The Second Saladin. I curently have Target on order. I love his writing style and plan on completing each and every book based on when it was written by Mr. Hunter. Keep up the good work!!!!!!!!!!!!