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Title: Historically accurate picture of ninjas
Review: This is a tough subject to write about. The truth about ninjas has been covered, hidden, and confused for centuries. To make matters worse, pop culture makes them into fireball and lightening throwing, water walking, flying, invisible super spies/assassins. What I like about this book is that Steven Turnbull has been writing about Far Eastern history for 3 decades. Knows his stuff and does his homework. Combine that with the fact that he sticks to historical accounts, quoting authentic Japanese historical documents. The sense I got after finishing this book, is that I now have a clearer picture of where the ninja fit into the greater history of Japan. He's not a ninjutsu expert, so don't expect intimate knowledge or secrets, but he is a historian and portrays the history as accurately as possible.
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