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Customer Reviews

Growing Pains in a Kyokushinkai Dojo, July 7, 2009
By  Goran Powell 
   
This is an enjoyable, fast-paced novel of teenage angst set in and around a karate dojo. Karen Van Wyk's treatment of the martial arts shows depth of understanding and her writing style is natural, gripping and fluid. The characters are suitably human and engaging - you find yourself drawn to Tristan's struggle to 'grow up' in the harsh and unforgiving environment of a Kyokushinkai dojo.

This book will appeal to the Young Adults audience first and foremost, though memories of early training will ring true with many older readers too. I could imagine 'Sanchin' making a great mini-series (or movie) although Hollywood would probably want to move it from its current location in South Africa to California!

Congratulations to Karen Van Wyk on an exciting debut in the challenging world of martial arts fiction.

Goran Powell
Author of Waking Dragons: A Martial Artist Faces His Ultimate Test 

30 Jun 2009
by G A Cavendish

Writing book reviews is not something I normally do but this one surprised me so much I thought I'd give it a go. I was given a copy of this book by a friend and, not being remotely interested in martial arts, I almost didn't read it.

As it happens, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Set in South Africa, the book tells a story of a young lad who does karate but it has a really good story to it as well. It's well written and easy to read with some surprising and gripping moments thrown in too.

All in all, a really enjoyable read and I'm neither a teen nor a martial arts fan.

 
Review by: Mark Wallace on Jun. 06, 2009

Worth more than the price. Nice narrative drive. Solid depiction of martial arts culture and of adolescence. Not the strongest plot I've ever seen, but perfectly adequate; the characters are strong enough and dimensional enough to compensate.