Book Reviews

The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I

W.A. Stanleyby
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Yuma Shibiaski has kept to the shadows for far too log… Exiled to a hidden temple in Hokkado, Japan, this conquer of dark illusions and supernatural abilities bides his time, patiently awaiting his chance to make a return to Hong Kong Island. Has his moment finally arrived? Brandon is in for a wild ride when he reaches the shores of Asia World City. He had hoped Hong Kong would offer a new beginning, but when he witnesses a gang-related murder, Shibiaski is unleashed upon the streets, vowing to rip Hong Kong apart brick by brick until Brandon is taken out. Brandon soon discovers his only ally is Inspector Kaiden—a drunken, cigarette-loving Cop with a complicated history. When his shady past intertwines with Brandon’s case, they must set aside their differences to uncover a dangerous military secret worth million’s. With a global conflict looming, Brandon and Kaiden find themselves in an increasingly dangerous predicament. Not only do they have to rescue a city from total devastation but evade the powerful clutches of a seasoned killer who can alter reality itself. Brace yourself for an adventure that’s a melange of, drama, action, fantasy, martial arts and everything else that screams epic danger.
The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I
Written by Lukas Krueger

What if I told you that, sometimes, it’s okay to judge a book by its cover? Every so often, the cover gives the reader the perfect glimpse of the contents inside. The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I (look for my reviews of the second and third parts over the course of the week) by Lukas Krueger is one of those rare books. The cover image and—perhaps even more importantly—the title evoke a Hong Kong kung fu movie, which is exactly what the author puts on the page. But unfortunately, if you look at the blurb (included above, as well as the back cover image), the typos also provide a glimpse of the quality control inside the book.

To be fair, the typos in Krueger’s prose aren’t as egregious as they are in the blurb. However, there are a number of spelling mistakes throughout the book that pulled me out of the story. The book is written in a matter-of-fact style that helps convey an action movie put to the page. It’s easy to follow, and it makes for a breezy read that most adult readers will be able to get through within the same amount of time it would take to watch the movie on film. However, every time I came across a typo, it made me wonder whether this is a deliberate approach by the author, or the writing being unpolished.

As much as I wonder about the prose, it isn’t as difficult to gauge as The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I’s dialogue. The dialogue is clunky and the characters don’t sound like real people. Further, the characters’ voices aren’t distinct from one another. Ordinarily, this is something I would hold against a book, but classic action movies—especially those translated for Western audiences from Cantonese—don’t sound like real people, and often have similar voices between the various characters. There is a lot of posturing throughout the dialogue; while this would ordinarily grate on the reader, in this novel, it has a lot of charm to it. It’s easy to read the book and imagine the characters speaking through poorly synced dubbing.

When you watch an action movie, you don’t do so for the characters. Some certainly have great characters, but at the end of the day, it’s dressing for the action. Like those movies, you shouldn’t read The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I for its characters. Its protagonist, Brandon is a troubled kid who recently lost his father, but his character doesn’t go much further than the cliche. He has a history of heroin abuse and violence, and while this leads him onto the book’s adventure, it feels like edginess being added to his character for the sake of it. Inspector Kaiden is a police officer with a drinking problem and a dark past, and the book’s villain, Shibiaski, is bent on domination. The book’s female characters are femme fatales—with commentary on their attractiveness—and Brandon’s mother. As thin and cliched as these characters are, they feel like they stepped out of a B-grade action movie from the nineties, perfectly fitting within the book’s world.

You do watch action movies for the action, however, and the action in The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I excels. The book is full of action set pieces in all their pulse pounding, bone-crunching glory. Like the great action movies, the action is brutal, and Krueger translates it to the page well. With such a focus on martial arts, I would have liked the book to focus on the art of it more, with descriptions of the various stances and moves.

Although most readers will finish The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I quickly, it is longer than this suggests, at 298 pages in paperback and hardcover (or an estimated even 300 pages on Kindle). The book moves at a brisk pace, moving from Sydney, Australia (it’s always nice to see Australia represented, particularly areas I’m familiar with) to Hong Kong Island, where Brandon quickly falls foul of the book’s villains, before fighting to save the island from a supernatural threat. The plot doesn’t take time to breathe, instead moving through an over the top story to reach its action packed climax.

Although the book’s focus is on the action with some fantastical elements added into it, the book is also aimed at young adult readers. While its subject matter (including drug use, violence and language) might be a bit much for particularly young readers, young adult readers closer to adulthood with an affinity for Hong Kong action movies will be well-served. If you’re a fan of the young adult genre, however, be warned: The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I doesn’t include the genre’s tropes. If you’re looking for a book that works with young adult hallmarks, this isn’t that book.

Despite the Part I in its title, the book stands fairly well alone, aside from an epilogue that teases what’s to come in the next book. If you’re cautious about book series (in this case, specifically a trilogy), you can rest assured you’ll be reading a complete story with a beginning, a middle and an ending.

The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I is a difficult book to review. It lacks polish, but it is reminiscent of films that often lack polish. Although it has a thin plot and characters, and the dialogue doesn’t sound natural, it all works towards the action movie aesthetic. While fans of these movies will no doubt enjoy it, if you’re looking for a story with a resonant story and themes, you might find yourself wanting a little more.

Favourite Passage

Mia and Dozer took turns, trading blow for blow, thundering combinations into Kaiden’s face and midsection as if they were striving to obliterate the guts of a heavy bag.

Punch after punch, kick after kick, each strike found their devastating mark, their shots pulverising Kaiden with freakish power and accuracy.

Brandon found himself out of breath as the brutal attack unfolded. He began negotiations with himself: knock the gun away from the phoney airport marshal’s hand to turn the tide? Or remain by Lena’s side, stay the course, and hold position as her human shield?

The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I, Chapter 22

The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I was provided by BookSirens for the purpose of an honest review.

The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I is available in paperback, hardcover, and on Kindle, exclusive to Amazon.

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Interested in purchasing The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island, Part I?

Please find a link below; please note I do not collect any proceeds from the sale.

The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island – Part I (The Ghost Ninja of Hong Kong Island Trilogy Book 1)

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