Walt Mussell

Walt Mussell is an American author of historical fiction and historical fantasy whose work focuses primarily on sixteenth-century Japan. His interest in Japanese history developed during the four years he lived in the country. Alongside writing, he produces educational material on Japanese history and gives talks on Japan’s Christian Century, particularly the experiences of Christian communities under the country’s warrior governments.

Mussell’s novels include The Samurai’s Heart, The Samurai’s Honor, A Second Chance and The Samurai’s Soul. Set amid the political, religious and social tensions of medieval Japan, his books combine samurai adventure, romance and family conflict with the spread and persecution of Christianity. His fiction is characterised by detailed historical settings and a particular interest in women navigating societies governed by military authority, family duty and rigid social expectations.