Play Audiobook Sample
The 47th Samurai Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.01) - 1,683 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
Bob Lee Swagger and Philip Yano are bound together by a single moment at Iwo Jima, 1945, when their fathers, two brave fighters on opposite sides, met in the bloody and chaotic battle for the island. Only Earl Swagger survived.
More than sixty years later, Yano comes to America to honor the legacy of his heroic father by recovering the sword he used in the battle. His search has led him to Crazy Horse, Idaho, where Bob Lee, ex-marine and Vietnam veteran, has settled into a restless retirement and immediately pledges himself to Yano’s quest.
Bob Lee finds the sword and delivers it to Yano in Tokyo. On inspection, they discover that it is not a standard WWII blade, but a legendary shin-shinto katana, an artifact of the nation. It is priceless but worth killing for. Suddenly Bob is at the center of a series of terrible crimes he barely understands but vows to avenge. And to do so, he throws himself into the world of the samurai, Tokyo’s dark, criminal yakuza underworld, and the unwritten rules of Japanese culture.
Swagger’s allies, hard-as-nails, American-born Susan Okada and the brave, cocaine-dealing tabloid journalist Nick Yamamoto, help him move through this strange, glittering, and ominous world from the shady bosses of the seamy Kabukicho district to officials in the highest echelons of the Japanese government, but in the end, he is on his own and will succeed only if he can learn that to survive samurai, you must become samurai.
As the plot races and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that a ruthless conspiracy is in place, and the only thing that can be taken for granted is that money, power, and sex can drive men of all nationalities to gruesome extremes. If Swagger hopes to stop them, he must be willing not only to die but also to kill.
Download and start listening now!
"I have long been a Stephen Hunter fan, and enjoyed this novel as much as any others. I like how Bob Lee Swagger, our hero, has aged gracefully as he deftly takes on the yakuza (Japanese mob) in this thriller. Bob Lee's repeated reference to "samurai" gets a little old, but it certainly fits what we know about the character. I was a bit skeptical too of his ability to wield the katana blade as effectively as he did with only a week's training, but if anyone can, it is Swagger. Keep them coming Mr. Hunter."
— William (4 out of 5 stars)
The 47th Samurai Listener Reviews
-
—
Agus Tandany, 3/24/2023
-
" New Bob Swagger book. Not as good as Time to Hunt "
— Stephen, 1/31/2014 -
" A good solid read with excellent battle sequences. "
— Quinn, 1/22/2014 -
" First time i read hunter. won't be the last. "
— Jeff, 1/7/2014 -
" Bob Lee Swagger. With swords. Need I say more? "
— J.D., 1/4/2014 -
" Another great Bob Lee Swagger story. Spurred interest in Samurai swordsmithing. "
— Flo, 11/27/2013 -
" A page turner in a frustratingly redneck way. "
— Alli, 10/25/2013 -
" Bob Lee Swagger is approached by the son of the man that Bob's dad had killed in Iwo Jima. Philip Yano asks Bob about a sword that belonged to his dad. Bob finds the sword and takes it to Phillip in Japan. Then all hell breaks loose. "
— Dr., 10/24/2013 -
" Could not get interested into this book even though I have liked his other books. "
— Linda, 10/16/2013 -
" One of the best I have read in years! "
— Vicki, 9/25/2013 -
" Perhaps his bloodiest yet, a top 5 for the year. Hunter is the best at this, the patriotic naturally skilled good guy righting wrongs thing. "
— Randy, 9/8/2013 -
" not the usual thing i'd read but it was quite good. not sure that i would pick up another book by this author but it was a nice suspense/action thriller kind of book. "
— Renee, 4/15/2013 -
" Bob Lee Swagger - 60 years old? - still kickin ass, this time in Japan ... in the next book his daughter is entering the scene - I can hardly wait. "
— Stanley, 3/25/2013 -
" Just finished this,a guilty pleasure good stuff. "
— Joel, 1/28/2013 -
" I enjoyed this book a good read. The first i have read by Stephen Hunter. I may read his others, I will ponder on it. Loosely based on the legend of the 47 Ronin, a superb story. has its moments with clues left for you. "
— Neil, 1/16/2013 -
" Excellent and exciting! Alittle Harlan Coben meets Dan Brown. The history of Japan and its Samurai are very fascinating. "
— Emily, 10/23/2012 -
" It took 300 pages to get to any sizable action, but still a good read. "
— John, 5/26/2011 -
" entertaining... but a little hard to believe. "
— Ben, 1/22/2011 -
" eh. A little slow to get started, then I lost interest. Unfortunately, I still don't know how it ended. "
— Daniel, 12/15/2010 -
" Jim read and enjoyed this one; I haven't read it yet. "
— Robbie, 8/29/2010 -
" Good story if you're interested in Samurai philosophy in life. Lacking in action and continuing excitement although the conclusion was good. "
— Brian, 8/25/2010 -
" I listened to the audio edition of this book. Buck Schirner did an excellent job with his narration of the story. That being said, if I had read this book the old fashion way, I can't say that I would have enjoyed it as much and would have rated it 3 stars rather than four. <br/> <br/> "
— D, 7/23/2010 -
" Bob Lee Swagger is approached by the son of the man that Bob's dad had killed in Iwo Jima. Philip Yano asks Bob about a sword that belonged to his dad. Bob finds the sword and takes it to Phillip in Japan. Then all hell breaks loose. "
— Dr., 4/2/2009 -
" I like Stephen Hunter and I like the series on Earl and Bob Lee Swagger. This book, while an interesting read, is very similar to the other books in the series. It does not measure up to Point of Impact. It is a geat airplane read. "
— Wayne, 3/26/2009
About Stephen Hunter
Stephen Hunter is the author of several bestselling novels, including Time to Hunt, Black Light, Point of Impact, and the New York Times bestsellers Havana, Pale Horse Coming, and Hot Springs. He has also published two collections of film criticism and other nonfiction works. He was a film critic at the Washington Post, where he won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for criticsm, as well as the 1998 American Society of Newspaper Editors Award for Distinguished Writing in Criticism.
About Buck Schirner
Buck Schirner’s professional career has primarily been on stage as a character actor. He is currently active in the theater scene in Philadelphia. Buck also appears in the independent film In the Woods.