The Way of the Warrior Awards

2009
We Read Festival - Shortlisted
Lincolnshire Young People Award - Longlisted
Southern Schools Book Award - Longlisted
Red House Book Awards – Shortlisted
CILIP Carnegie Medal – Longlisted
Bolton Children’s Book Award – Shortlisted
North East Children’s Book Award – Shortlisted
One Club Prize (South Africa) – Shortlisted

2008
Fighting Spirit Awards – Winner of 'Book of the Year' 
Great Britain Sasakawa Award – Winner
Radio 4 Open Book – Children's Xmas Book Choice

The Way of the Warrior Reviews

Read letter from a grateful father...click here

‘Chris Bradford comes out swinging...and produces an adventure novel to rank among the genre's best. This book earns the literary equivalent of a black belt.’
Publishers Weekly

'Young Samurai is a fantastic adventure that floors the reader on page one and keeps him there until the end.'
Eoin Colfer, bestselling author of Artemis Fowl

‘GREAT to see a book that I have loadsof copies of, that is a FAB read, and that attracts both girls andboys, and is backed up be a fantabulous website...’
Nikki Heath, School Librarian of the Year 2008

'A great mixture of brilliant story telling, action adventure and learning about a very different culture.'
Tina Everitt, Waterstone's, Harrods

‘Very exciting, very gripping; in fact I was reading it and totally missed my train stop, so it must have been good ....!’
Caroline Horn, Children's Books Editor of the Bookseller

'An action packed book with death around every corner!'
Melissa Doolan, Junior Proof reader for Waterstone's

'A real pager turner! It keeps me guessing as to where the story will lead...’
Anne Worthington, Children’s Team, Cambridge Libraries

‘If Robert Muchamore and Bernard Cornwell met over a couple of rounds in a dojo you can begin to imagine the sort of historical all action adventure we might encounter... your new portal to exhilaration, so grab your Wing Chun Butterfly Knife, seize your Nunchucks and take a respectable bow to the new martial master.’
John Lloyd, Waterstone's, Bath 

‘Young Samurai won't just delight its readers with tales of ninjas, swords and samurai, but will inspire them to actually get involved in the world of martial arts.’
Steve Backshall, BBC Children's TV presenter

'Chris Bradford has captured the essence of what it meant to be samurai.’
Sensei Akemi Solloway, Eldest daughter of an old samurai family. www.solloway.org

‘A cutting-edge James Bond thriller, Oriental style... a wonderful introduction to everything that is enthralling about Japan, from hanami and matsuri to samurai honor and respect for one's sensei. If this doesn't turn you into a Japanophile, what will?’
Japan Times

'A really absorbing read and transports the reader to another place and time.'
RTE Kids, Ireland

'Triffic stuff.  A death on page 4, I was hooked by page 6, and 45 mins later narrowly managing to not miss my train station I'm up to page 99!  A great book which I have not managed to put down.'
Simon Wallace, reader

‘An exciting, unusualand fascinating story....the pace of the story never flags whether asea battle with pirates is being described, or a day in the life of the[samurai] school. And, really, I can’t imagine anything cooler thanNinja Pirates.’
Helena Bowles, Waterstone's Birmingham

‘A really cool book...excellent!’
Peter Cousins, British Judo Olympic Team

‘A fast-paced, pager-turner...I promise you will hold your breath until the end of this novel.’ Charlotte Westwood (aged 11), First News

‘From the moment I started reading I was hooked and couldn’t put the book down...action packed from beginning to end..what I also loved is that this book is not just for boys…one of the main characters, Akiko, is a beautiful, mysterious, young samurai girl with many talents.'
Nikki Chapman, Borders Customer review

'I have fallen in love with the story - what a fantastic book! Probably will do for martial arts what JKR did for wizards. I canguarantee you that if you read it, even if you are 75, you will want totake up some form of martial arts.'
Liz De Jager, My Favourite Books Website

‘Enlightening and enjoyable. 4 stars.’ Iain Wear, The Bookbag

‘Action-packed adventure [that] is sure to find an avid readership. The story brims with energy, suspense and thrilling action. I eagerly await the next book in what looks set to be an accomplished and exciting trilogy.’
Anne Faundez, Books For Keeps

'Addictive! It will keep young readers in its grip from the very first page til the last.’
Tanya Russell, The Press

‘Five Stars. This addictive novel is ideal to stop the kids getting bored.’  Boston Target

A Recommended Read - Evening Express, Aberdeen

Children’s Choice - Sunderland Echo

‘A thrilling samurai series which will enthrall readers from the get go.’
Olivia Scott-Berry, Spinebreakers

‘Top quality on every level - characters, action, plot and setting. I loved it!’
Tom Palmer, author of Foul Play

‘The best book I’ve ever read.’ Tommy, reader aged 10

‘Awesome!’ Alex, reader aged 14

‘Youreally did make your book come to life, and particularly for boys whodon’t always want to pick up a book, this will certainly motivate themto get reading.  I am reading the boys your book, a few chapters eachnight and we are half way through – I said to the boys there is no wayyou are going to read the rest without me!'
Hazel Murray, mother.

‘Myown children have been very inspired by the book, Jack (10) ate it inone gulp and has now re read it twice, and Charlotte (8) finished ityesterday, and is now disappointed to have got to the end. It’s thefirst time she has read such a long book all by herself, and she isidolising Akiko.’
Sensei Mary, Oxford School of Martial Arts

‘Ahuge thank you, my twelve year old son has finally discovered the joyof reading - The Way of the Warrior is the first book which has reallyinspired him to read and I'm having to prise the book away from himeach night.’
Debbie Wrightson, mother

‘Ireally enjoyed your book - out of all the books I’ve read this by faris the best... because when i read it the only thing that was goingthrough my head was 'don’t end, don’t end, don’t end...'
Matt, reader aged 13

‘Just e-mailed to tell that your book is amazing, and thrills me to the bottom of my heart. I can normally predict what is going to happen on the next page, but this book, it is a really unpredictable and is really interesting. I also hope that the next book might be a little thicker, as i kind of finished that book in... less than 8 hours.’
Lee Xin, reader

‘Bought the book for my son, but as a 34 year old judoka I had to give it a test run, and I loved it! Read it cover to cover in 6 hours, just could not put it down! Great reading, can’t wait for the next one, keep up the good work.’
Paul Beesley, Father

‘My son...is seven years old, a bookworm, and absolutely loved it. He has read it four times in two weeks! Having read the book myself I must congratulate you on an excellent book which works on very many levels.’
Stuart Long, Teaching Assistant, Pinner Middle School

'What is special about this book is the quality of writing. The authoris a real-life black belt in ninja arts, whose prose not only ripsthrough this fast-paced adventure story filled with blazing martialarts battles, but also builds an atmospheric and meticulouslyresearched picture of Japanese culture and relationships...thrilling!'
AG, Librarian, Slough, UK

‘Filled with wonderful historical insights into Japan and the history of martial arts this book doesn't patronize the young reader. Although it doesn't shy away from the violence involved, it is done in such a way that the moral framework created by the Samurai world will mean that parents have nothing to worry about. A perfect read.’
Saffron Waldon, Reporter

‘A boisterous adventure...romping through a 17th century Japan full of legendary swordmasters and ninja pirates.’
Doug Johnstone, Big Issue

‘Exciting and breathtaking’  Teen Titles, Book Review Magazine