Tomoe Gozen, written by fantasy author Jessica Amanda Salmonson, takes one on a journey to Naipon, a world that is very similar to medieval Japan. The author's vast knowledge of Japanese customs, traditions, and way of life clearly shows through in this tale that takes place during a time of samurais, warlords, monsters, and magic.

History and fantasy blend together as we read about Tomoe Gozen, a rare female samurai warrior who really did exist in 12th century Japan. She was known for her strength and bravery, just as her namesake in the book. In the first part of the story, Tomoe is in a battle for her master, Shojiro Shigeno. She receives a wound that is fatal and, much to the distress of her friend, Ushii, dies.

Ushii is determined that this will not be the end of Tomoe Gozen for she is far too great a warrior. So Ushii, against the advice of others, makes a deal with an evil magician to bring her back to life. Ushii has agreed to serve this evil wizard. Once Tomoe has been resurrected, Ushii finds out that Tamoe, too, must serve this wicked person. This new master commands Tomoe to fight battle against her former master, which she must do. When she betrays Shojiro Shigeno, she becomes a masterless samurai.

Horrified at her own actions, she sets out to seek redemption. The rest of the story was not that easy for me to follow or understand until I got to around the last 50 pages. The magic that the evil magician used against Tomoe Gozen gave her a fear of magic. This fear proves to be so great that she becomes a victim of it yet again and ends up trapped in a dreamworld for a while.

Ms. Salmonson's writing style is a bit passive, but descriptive. A good story, though slightly confusing for one who does not completely understand Japanese legends, customs, and words. There are plenty of battle scenes and lots of monsters, devils, and other supernatural creatures. Anyone who is a fan of Japanese animation, the Japanese culture, or a really good fantasy novel would enjoy this book. My copy of Tomoe Gozen was sent to me free of charge by the management of BellaOnline. If you would like your own copy of this book, I have provided an Amazon link below. If you purchase this book through the below link, it will not increase your price any, but will supplement my income just a bit.

The original title of this book was Disfavored Hero. The book has been reprinted in a limited edition under that title. I have also provided a link for it through Amazon below.

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