Fantasy writer Travis Heermann (THE IVORY STAR) brings thirteenth-century Japan alive in HEART OF THE RONIN, the first installment of a trilogy. Ken'ishi is just 17 years old and an orphan after the mysterious death of his parents. He dreams of training with a master who will some day help him become a samurai. Traveling with Silver Crane, a sword that belonged to his father, and a dog, Akao, for a sidekick, Ken'ishi's adventures begin after he murders a policeman and must flee. Just when he thinks he has escaped trouble, he saves Kazuko, the daughter of an influential lord, from a group of bandits. In return, he is asked to live in the lord's house, where he falls in love with Kazuko. Forced to flee once again, Ken'ishi goes on a hunt to discover his past while fighting off warriors and demons, not to mention worrying about the bounty that's on his head. Will he find out if his father really was a samurai or why the sword he wields seems to be infused with magic? Written while the author lived in Japan, HEART OF THE RONIN combines historical fiction with fantasy to keep readers guessing what Ken'ishi will encounter next in Heermann's mystical universe. Publishers Weekly says it "Numerous tantalizingly unresolved plot threads will have readers anxiously awaiting the second installment in this gripping tale of ill-fated love, betrayal and destiny."

In 13th-Century Japan, a land of ancient spirits, shapeshifting animals,and demons, Ken'ishi is a warrior without a master. Orphaned in infancy, he has only one link to his past - Silver Crane, his father's sword. When Silver Crane is stolen, Ken'ishi must go on a quest to recover his very identity. The crime lord known as Green Tiger holds the key to Ken'ishi's past. With intrigues stretching to China, where the Mongol emperor Khubiliai Khan builds an invasion fleet, Green Tiger knows of Silver Crane and dreams of the day when he can destroy the shogunate and restore his shattered clan. With a wooden sword as his only weapon, Ken'ishi descends into the shadowy world of flesh houses, Chinese smugglers, and Mongol spies. To succeed and unleash Silver Crane's power, he must face the darkness in his own soul. "From the first sentence, Travis Heermann weaves a tale that sucked this reader into a rich Japanese tapestry full of ronin, samurai, and magic. It was hard to put this book down to sleep." - Patrick Hester, Hugo-Award Winning SFSignal.com and the Functional Nerds Podcast "Travis Heermann takes everything I loved about Heart of the Ronin (adventure, intrigue, sympathetic characters), puts it in a pressure cooker and serves it with a side of Awesome. Sword of the Ronin is his best novel yet and won't disappoint." - Shaun Farrell, Adventures in Sci-Fi Publishing "Sword of the Ronin is a raw and energetic adventure that explores deep and eternal themes such as honor, love, and betrayal while maintaining a engaging, humorous, living world. It also has an awesome ronin hero who hacks lots of bad people to bits, if you're into that sort of thing. Which you definitely should be." - Rich Wulf, author of The Heirs of Ash Trilogy.

Ken'ishi travels through the wild countryside to the fortress of his new master, and encounters two strangers—one who challenges his honor and another, his heart.

Ken'ishi's dream just became a nightmare... He finds service with a powerful samurai lord... only to discover his lord is married to the only woman Ken'ishi has ever loved. And the underworld crime boss known as Green Tiger threatens to expose all their secrets. In a world of ancient gods, shapeshifting animals, and capricious spirits, Ken'ishi must discover the secret of his mysterious past in order to battle the Mongol horde of Khubilai Khan, or else the woman he loves will suffer a fate worse than death. If you love romance, intrigue, and action on an epic scale, don’t miss this stunning climax to the Ronin Trilogy. Get yours now!