John Allyn studied Japanese at Stanford University and was stationed in Japan during the early years of the U.S. occupation. After returning to the U.S., he entered UCLA where he received his master's degree in Theater Arts in 1951. He went on to specialize in Japanese theater, receiving a doctorate in Theater History. Stephen Turnbull is the author of over 50 books on the military history of Europe and the Far East. He works as a Japanese cultural consultant and a Lecturer in Japanese Religion at the Department of East Asian Studies at Leeds University. He served as the historical advisor for the Universal Pictures film 47 Ronin starring Keanu Reeves.
""The book contains a new foreword by Stephen Turnbull, the historical advisor for 47 Ronin and the author of more than 50 books on military history. …As Turnbull says in his foreword: 'The raid of the Forty Seven Ronin holds a unique place in Japanese history. There is nothing quite like it, and John Allyn's masterful re-retelling of the tale captures for modern readers much of the excitement with which the Japanese populace of the mid-eighteenth century would have responded to what for them was the equivalent of a newspaper sensation.'"" —Publishers Weekly ""Fans of samurai will enjoy this retelling of a classic story of revenge and loyalty."" —Japan Powered blog