Keeper of the Arts: The Story Begins. . .

Jackie Grant Miller
Trafford Publishing (2006)
ISBN 1412077842
Reviewed by Lynn O'Connell for Reader Views (11/06)

Are you looking for a book that might appeal to someone that you know who is a fan of the martial arts?  This will be the first of many such books to come, if “Keeper of the Arts” author Jackie Grant Miller has anything to say about it. 

This action-packed work of fiction is set in modern-day Oakland, California.  Twenty-something D.J. Grant is a student at a Tae Kwon Do dojang (a school), where he is a second-degree black belt.  Waiting to be elevated to the level of a third-degree black belt, D.J. is sorely disappointed when his instructor tells him that he needs to “experience” the martial arts world and its history. 

The majority of the book occurs in a place called Symdo, a subconscious realm within the minds of martial artists.  His companion is Nerrot, the Master of all Keepers of the Art.  Nerrot and D.J. travel to five different countries, as D.J. prepares to take over as the next Master.  First, the pair visits Japan where D.J. tries out aikido and meets O-Sensei, a martial artist of the time.  Next, Nerrot and D.J. travel to China; here, D.J. has the chance to learn from a female martial artist, MonHuShe.  Then, they travel on to Korea, where D.J. and Nerrot encounter yet another martial artist of the time. 

In Chapter 8, things take a twist.  The evil protégé of Nerrot, Tarag, appears on the scene and sends D.J. (along with Nerrot) to Brazil.  Here, Nerrot’s powers are weak, and the pair must actually fight for their lives along with African slaves against the Western colonizers of Brazil.  Barely escaping, D.J. and Nerrot travel on to their last stop – Africa.  It is now 218 B.C., and the martial artists are in the entourage of General Hannibal on his way to attack the Romans.  After several successes on the battlefield, D.J. is separated from Nerrot in his last adventure, when he travels to the “Sacred Temple.”  Here, he fine tunes his skills and prepares for the book’s final five chapters – the great battle between Tarag and D.J. And, guess who wins?

Author Jackie Grant Miller follows a golden rule of writing – write about what you, as the author, know best.  Experience in the martial arts is most obvious; Jackie began studying when he was in eighth grade.  His mother was a Blackfoot Indian, and his father was African American.  D.J.’s parentage is the same, and it is also worth noting that Nerrot is of American Indian descent.  The author also spent part of his childhood in Oakland, where D.J. lives.

Martial arts practitioners and fans will all enjoy this book.  The book will also appeal to those who enjoy adventure novels or stories about supernatural powers.  As an educational tool, it might be useful in educating middle and young-adult readers in issues surrounding ethnicity and multiculturalism. 

The battles and the military maneuvers, particularly those in Brazil and with Hannibal, were all quite descriptive.  I would have personally liked a bit more background, as my historical knowledge for each of the time periods was somewhat limited.

In all, “Keeper of the Arts: The Story Begins. . .” is a fast-paced read, opening the reader to new forms of martial arts and some rarely described historical periods. 

Make comment on weblog