The African Samurai by Craig Shreve: Book Review

The African Samurai is the second novel by Craig Shreve. Released on August 1 by Simon & Schuster, The African Samurai tells the story of Yasuke, Japan’s first foreign-born samurai. Taken from his family at the tender age of 12, Yasuke finds himself training for battles he doesn’t understand. Will he ever find a place he can feel 100% free?

I want to thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The African Samurai. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

CW/TW: torture, graphic violence, murder, sexual assault, death

Synopsis from Goodreads

In 1579, a Portuguese trade ship sails into port at Kuchinotsu, Japan, loaded with European wares and weapons. On board is Father Alessandro Valignano, an Italian priest and Jesuit missionary whose authority in central and east Asia is second only to the pope’s. Beside him is his protector, a large and imposing East African man. Taken from his village as a boy, sold as a slave to Portuguese mercenaries, and forced to fight in wars in India, the young but experienced soldier is haunted by memories of his past.

From Kuchinotsu, Father Valignano leads an expedition pushing inland toward the capital city of Kyoto. A riot brings his protector in front of the land’s most powerful warlord, Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga is preparing a campaign to complete the unification of a nation that’s been torn apart by over one hundred years of civil war. In exchange for permission to build a church, Valignano “gifts” his protector to Nobunaga, and the young East African man is reminded once again that he is less of a human and more of a thing to be traded and sold.

After pledging his allegiance to the Japanese warlord, the two men from vastly different worlds develop a trust and respect for one another. The young soldier is granted the role of samurai, a title that has never been given to a foreigner; he is also given a new name: Yasuke. Not all are happy with Yasuke’s ascension. There are whispers that he may soon be given his own fief, servants, and samurai to command. But all of his dreams hinge on his ability to protect his new lord from military and political threats, and enemies both without and within.

My Opinions

The African Samurai is a very immersive read. It is easy to find yourself sucked into the book. By the end, you will be emotionally connected to the characters, all of them.

Admittedly, the biggest issue with the story is the amount of detailed, graphic violence. While I was not turned off while reading those scenes, I had to stop reading a few times to process what I had just read. On the flip side, the book is set in a place and time that saw centuries of war.

I did find the tale of Askue eye-opening as it explores slavery from the point of view of the slave. When we first met Asuke, he was a child in Africa. We follow him through his training, even though that is often told through flashbacks and on his travels to and around Japan. He constantly questions who he is, where he came from, and what his future holds for him.

I have seen in a couple of reviews that people were frustrated with the historical inaccuracies in the story. Shreve admits that he moved a few things around to make the story flow easier. Again, he also states he left some people out of the story to make it flow a bit easier. Another reason there may be historical inaccuracies is the lack of reference material. The events discussed in The African Samurai occurred in the late 1500s, and most of the history has been lost to time.

Do you enjoy reading books set in Japan? Or do you enjoy reading books based on real events? Then you should give The African Samurai a read!

Looking for some more books to read? Check out my bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.