In Nate Wagner's award-winning debut novel, this Outlaw Josey Wales meets The Last Samurai meets John Wick tale and action-packed western immerses readers in a boldly original setting as three orphans of the Civil War are trained by a samurai warrior in the ruthless and deadly American West––and then forced to choose between honor, loyalty, and redemption when one of them wants out.The Sword and the GunIn 1865, the American Civil War comes to an end, and the United States enters the Reconstruction era of postwar rebuilding and industrial development.In 1868, Japan establishes a more modern, centralized government, and the feudal era, during which dozens of independent states had been at war with one another for hundreds of years, also comes to an end. The samurai class, without masters to serve or battles to fight, is abolished a few years later.The transcontinental railroad is completed in 1869, connecting the United States from coast to coast. This starts a race between companies to extend miles of track across open land and introduces immigrants and their culture from Asia and the Pacific.The big expansion of the American West welcomed everyone bold enough to make the journey and strong enough to survive. Many moved to the vast wide-open territory to chase fortunes in gold and silver, while others sought to own land for ranching, farming, and other natural resources. And others just wanted a new life.It was a time of opportunity and lawlessness, with stories of famous cowboys and gunfighters. But some of those stories have remained untold ... until now.Warriors of the Forgotten Way is book one of The Samurai Cowboys series, and winner of the Best Historical Fiction / Western [Silver – BookFest Fall 2023] Read more