Shōgun

James Clavell

Sep 2018 · Blackstone Publishing

About this ebook

After Englishman John Blackthorne is lost at sea, he awakens in a place few Europeans know of and even fewer have seen—Nippon. Thrust into the closed society that is seventeenth-century Japan, a land where the line between life and death is razor-thin, Blackthorne must negotiate not only a foreign people, with unknown customs and language, but also his own definitions of morality, truth, and freedom. As internal political strife and a clash of cultures lead to seemingly inevitable conflict, Blackthorne’s loyalty and strength of character are tested by both passion and loss, and he is torn between two worlds that will each be forever changed.

Powerful and engrossing, capturing both the rich pageantry and stark realities of life in feudal Japan, Shōgun is a critically acclaimed powerhouse of a book. Heart-stopping, edge-of-your-seat action melds seamlessly with intricate historical detail and raw human emotion. Endlessly compelling, this sweeping saga captivated the world to become not only one of the best-selling novels of all time but also one of the highest-rated television miniseries, as well as inspiring a nationwide surge of interest in the culture of Japan. Shakespearean in both scope and depth, Shōgun is, as the New York Times put it, “...not only something you read—you live it.” Provocative, absorbing, and endlessly fascinating, there is only one: Shōgun.

Ratings and reviews

Shogun to me is everything. Clavell does such a good job of describing just what it was to be a European sailor at the time at the beginning, but goes into such detail about Japanese culture and Samurai culture throughout that it really hits home and makes you personify and live the experiences that Blackthorne does. The whole novel makes you realize how you would feel and react going through the same circumstances that he did. Going from lowly foreigner to protected to samurai and trusted adviser as this random barbarian did. The throes of love and life and merriment and depression just as he describes every thread of detail. Clavell does a great job of making you sift through the bits of information given throughout the novel, and at the end, wondering about what could have happened had this piece fell into the puzzle. After finishing the book, you will ponder and wonder and sift and contemplate, which to me means the writer truly did their job. Honestly, Clavell had his out for him here and did everything that a historical fictionalist and researcher could expect here, even to minute details that a normal non-perceptive eye wouldn't catch. All-in-all a great read, definitely worth the time based on the length of the novel and/or the audible listen. Would wholly recommend this book, as well as the rest of his Asian Saga through the founding of Hong Kong and returning to Japan in the most necessary periods.

As is well known, Shogun is a classic of literture that seeks to cross the cultural and political boundaries of the West and Asia. The description of political intrigue in ancient Japan is amazingly detailed in history while providing the intrigue of a great international spy novel.

a deep dive into the Asian mindset and culture of the period and a number of fascinating aspects of strategy and double think. extremely well written with respectful treatment of the Catholic Church, Shinto, Buddhism and Japanese culture. A long book that held my interest throughout.

About the author

James Clavell (1921–1994) was a novelist, screenwriter, director, and World War II veteran and prisoner of war. He is best known for his epic Asian Saga novels, which launched with the 1962 bestseller King Rat, and their televised adaptations. He also wrote screenplays for such films as The Great Escape and The Fly, and was a writer, director, and producer on To Sir, with Love. His books Shōgun, Noble House, Tai-Pan, and Whirlwind were #1 New York Times bestsellers.