This book was a pleasant surprise to me .It took quite a few chapters to get into the main story plot and I was beginning to think this novel is not for me but the theme thickened and I felt part of the pages .This is a great read about faith, belief and Christianity in the Hizen province of Japan in the Shogan reign Shaun Curry has done his research of the subject and delivers a lovely informative tale . This book shows how religion has been a large part of wars in the past and how trust in your religion can help you conquer your fears . Unsure about the cover which is great at depicting the Japenese theme but is not eye catching or different enough to make you grab the book of the shelf as opposed to others.